The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-14
CUT DOWN ENLISTED MEN.
SOLDIERS PAY HAS BEEN REDUCED
TO THE PEACE SCALE.

That the Formal NOhSiusiOn OF
the Pence Treaty Mt Washington
on April 10 Made the Troops Sub
ject 10 the SI3 "a Month Rate In
stead of the 20 Per Cent Increase.
Commanding Officers of Regiments
VIII Try TO Get the order Revoked.
They Think 1t Unjust That Their
Commands should Not Draw as
Much on Being Mustered Out as
others Have-COI. Smith of the
Third Kentucky Discusses the
Matter.
The army paynasters stationed in Sa-
vannah for the payment or the troops to
he mustered out of the service received no
tice yesterday from the paymaster general
that the pay OF enlisted men is TO be re-
duced from what it has been during the
war TO what 1t IS in peace.
The news viii be heard with regret by
the volunteers encamped near Savannah
awaiting the days that have been assigned
for their muster out. for il means that
every one of them viii get less money
than he had expected.
But it may be that influence viii be
brought to bear with the department TO
have the order revoked. Col. Smith of the
Third Kentucky Regiment was seen last
night and it is his intention TO bring all
the influence he can to the aid of his men
to see that they get what he considers
their due The colonel had been told by
one of the paymasters of the news he had
received from Washington, and he was
then writing 10 his senator to have him see
what could be done with the department
to secure a revocation of the order
- do not consider il right" said Col
Smith, that the men of my regiment and
others that saw service in Cuba should
lose because they happen TO be mustered
out of the service a few days after the de-
livery of the copies of the treaties OF peace
between the United States and Spain. Ii
was the formal conclusion of peace be-
tween the Two countries and the renewal
of all friendly relations that brought the
pay of enlisted men back to the ngures IL
stood before the war.
Regiments have been mustered out Of
the service and secured pay at the war
rate but it was before the final signing
of the treaty. But other regiments that
have seen service in the West Indies ana
have had the lives of their men endan-
,gered are to lose the money simply be-
cause they happen to be discharged too
late. 1t would seem to any one that the
conditions of service were the same and
that the pay should be the same, 1t Is
unjust to hold back The pay to which
the men believe they are entitled, and on
which they have been counting. They
should have 1t, and l intend TO do all
can TO see my men get what should be
coming to them. / believe other regimen
tai commanders will take the same steps,
and that an array of political influence
will be brought to bear to see that the
volunteers about TO be mustered out now
get the same pay as those that have al
ready been discharged.
Several regiments have been mustered
out of the service at Savannah and receiv
ed the pay that was due them for actual
services and also two months extra pay
for service in Cuba. 1t is proposed TO
make the pay of regiments yet to be
mustered out $13 a month for privates,
instead of the $3.50 they have been re-
ceiving, and the two months extra pay
10 which they are entitled under act of
Congress for service in Cuba Is to be paid
them at the $l3 rate. Other regiments got
the whole thing at the rate of $500 a
month.
"The order Is effective from April 10. the
day of the exchange of the treaties. From
that time on the actual pay of the Volun-
teers and regulars viii be but $1S month
unless a revocation OF the order can be
brought about. The volunteers should re-
ceive the increased pay not merely for the
duration of the war, but for the time they
are in the service, for 1t was really for
the continuance of the war they enlisted,
and If they are held longer it is through
no fault or desire of theirs"
It Is believed there Is less reason for the
cutting down of the pay of the volunteers
for the two months extra than for de-
creasing it for the time they are in the
service from April 10. Officers and men
consider that the extra pay is not for the
months of May and June, for instance, but
rather a gift for their services during the
months of January and February spent In
Cuba. If that were the plan followed the
enlisted men would not be so seriously af-
fected, for to none of the volunteers now
here would there be more than the differ
ence Of peace and war pay for one month
lost. The entire move is regarded with
disfavor, however and a great stir may
be counted upon from the men about it.
A private will lose $3.50 on months pay
by the order. while non-commissioned off,
GERS will lose little more. Privates will
thus lose 500 for their two months extra
pay, while their travel pay from here TO
the places Where they were mustered in
viii also be cut. Under the war figures
the men received 81 cents a day, SO that
for every twenty miles on their way home
they received that amount. The reduction
brings the daily stipend down to i3h cents.
so that the difference TO the men of the
Two Hundred and Second Regiment, who
are from Buffalo, which is fifty-two davs'
travel will be SAP, which, added TO $50.
makes $3.50. In addition they lose tho
difference between the two rates for the
five days from April 10 TO tomorrow. April
Is, when they are to be mustered out of
the service.
Other regiments will fare even worse
than the New Workers. for they will have
90 follow the Two Hundred and Second in
the muster out and viii thus have pay for
more days of service cut off by the re-
duction. II is possible that the order may
be revoked or modified in some wav be-
fore the other commands are mustered
out. and If such should be the case IN,
regiments following the New York com
mand will be the gamers.
Col. Smith said he thought it too had
that the government should do anything