The state herald., 1898-09-02

dered to send full bakery outfit to
Montauk Point by the first train. he
telegraphed In reply that ten days ago
or more be shipped to Camp WikoT a
baking outfit to supply bread FOR TO-.
600. This caused an investigation, ana
1t turns out that the bakery when Dr.
Heizmann has been watching for so
anxiously has been lying In the freight
house for more than n week. and there
Is no evidence that he has ever taken
the trouble to inquire for 1t. This illus
trntes the incompetency and the lndif-
ference of the men who have been
charged with the care of 10000 lives.
The secretary has discovered tnat
there is no laundry here to wash the
sheets and pillow cases from the nos
pitnl: that DIR. Forwood, the surgeon
in-chief, has never made any arrange
ments to provide hot water Tor bath
ing the patients in his hospital. These
most important provisions Will be
looked after Immediately
The press dispatches last night told
you that the secretary of war had de-
cided 1t was not necessary TO rouse the
soldiers out at 5 o'clock In the morning
so long as there were no fortificati0ns
to build and no shooting to do. He has
issued an order by which the boys will
be allowed to sleep until 6:3O o'clock
hereafter, and they are very grateful
to him for II.
The Red Cross people nre delighted
at the recognition General Alger has
given them. He has not only person
ally thanked every Red Cross and Re
lief Association representative upon the
grounds, but has repeatedly commend
ed them In the presence of army sur
gcons who have made their noble work
difficult and subjected them TO many
annoyances. He has gone still further,
and in the presence OF Dr. Forwood,
the chief surgeon, has authorized Mr..
Howard Townsend. the director OF the
Red Cross Society here, to draw on the
commssary department for anything
the Red Cross Society. believes to be
or comforting to the sick. Dr.
Forwood's hair stood on end when he
heard this proposition, for up I'LL now
he has merely tolerated Mr.. Townsend
and his noble associates as unavoidable
nuisanccs.
1t will thus lie seen that the moral
effect of General Ayers visit upon the
camp and upon the soldiers will go II
good way to coiinteract the Indignation
that has been awakened by the sur
ferings and mismanagement here. He
has certainly done everything that hui
man power could do TO remedy The
evils that had existed and supply the
soldiers with tie necessaries and the
comforts of life. The starvation stories
and the failure to furnish proper sup
plies for the transports will be revived
by the death of Willie Tiffany, and will
come right home to the President by
the treatment of the Eighth Ohio,
which is landing from the transport
Mohawk to-day That regiment comes
from his own vicinity and two COM
panies from his own town. Two of his
nephews are prlvates in company l..
The soldiers assert that they have been
fed upon pntrid rations and otherwise
suffered from neglect.
An interview with ex-Sccrctary Sher-
man In the morning papers will aggra-
vatc the situation. although his ami
mostly TO Secretary Alger is not dis
guised. The President must order an
and fix the responsibility
before the fall elections and before
Congress has chance.
| have many letters inquiring why II
Is necessary for the public to contrib
ute money to support the Red Cross
and the relief associations and to sup
ply necess,irles TO the sick and wound
ed when the government has appropri-
atcd 00.OOO.OOO 10 pay the cost of the
war. The medical officers say that II
Is not nccessary-ihat the government
supplies everything that Is needed for
both sick and well soldiers through the
commissary dcpartment-but at the
same time they explain the regulations
are so strict and the formnlities re.
aulrcd are SO complicated that few sol.
dIcrs know how to avail themselves OF
this provision. For example. every sol
der is allowed so many rations day
and can draw those ritlons In money
II he does not want the food, and with
that money he can purchase from the
wines, jellles or any other
dclIcacy that his appetite may crave.
hut there IL no one to run back ana
forth between the hospital and the
store 10 obtain such things
for him, even II h. Were aware that
they Were subject TO his order, and
none but soldier Of experience could
properly iii out the necessary rcluisi-
tion. II is claimed that the regulations
that govern the drawing OF such ra-
tlons must bc severe IN order to pre-
vent the abuse OF the privilege. But
II would seem that the system must he
very defective when not one man out
of the i.iOo In the hospital at Camp
..s al. IL, l..y tl.
government has provided for him.
A Woman Army Omc~r.