The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-06
GRAND ARMY DISCIPLINE.
DEPARTMENT COMMANDERS KAY
STANDS BIZ HIS ORDER NO. 20.

| 1t May he Necessary to Courtmnrtinl a. A
II. Men who Wore Their Grand Army
Uniforms in the Dewey Day Parade
| Criticises Gen. Howard and Col. Adams.
Department Commander Joseph W. Kay. Of
the Grand Army OF the Republic. ~ greatly
chaRrinsd over tho publication OF his Special
Order No. 20. which was printed exclusively In
TBE SUN yesterday. and which Is an order to
post commanders TO send to him at depart
ment headquarters at Albany. at once. the
names and addresses OF mem ers OF their com
mands who participated In the Dewey land
parade on Sept 30. wearing the uniforms.
badges or buttons OF the or Ter. and all such
who have publicly criticised their superior
officers. Commander Kay was seen at his
homo. 211 Jefferson avenue. Brooklyn. by a
Bun reporter He said
Il confess to great surprise and disappolnt-
ment that my order is made public. Regarded
II a. purely department matter and mailed q
single copy OF tho order to each post COM
mander. believing that the commanders would
obey the Instructions contained In 1t and do all
In their power to prevent the order becoming
public. The order should have been regarded
as confidential to post commanders: apparently
It has not been. / have known for some days
that number OF copies OF the order had been
printed BY members OF Lafayette Post. and that
they had been quite freely circulated. but tho
purpose OF this act could not iathom. do
not know how The Sun got my order. but do
know that what was given 10 1t was one OF tho
copies printed by members OF Lafayette Post.
A number OF these copies were sent to mo. and
! have them In my desk here now.
As long 40 the order Ia out. am willing to
discuss II. In the 0rst place / want to say that
the Grand Army OF tho Republic IL becoming
too frequently COMPOUNDED with the veterans
Of the Civil War. There are many thousand
veterans OF the Civil War who are not mem
bers OF the Army. This department has
nothing whatever to do with anything that
veterans outside Of 1t own ranks do. although
l might remark that these veterans reap the
benefit OF all that the Grand Army has accom-
pshed for survivors OF the War OF tho Re-
belon.
The Grand Army OF the Republic Il con-
Quoted on the plan OF regular army. 1t has
commander-in chief. department commanders
and post commanders and their orders are to
be obeyed. All mem bcrs OF the Grand Army
plsdCe themselves to obey orders. and when
orders are fagrantly dlsohcre cd aud the officers
Of tho Grand Army are set at naught. those
vino are Euiiy OF those Things are certainly
Tho trouble oyer the, Dewey parade arose
preciate the Obligations Of Grand Army men To-
their order. Gen. Roe says lie is II Grand Army
man. and he IL. but only by the order OF the
envy at West Point in 1864. and in later years
applied for admission to a pos t.. The supreme
Court decided that cadets at West Point and
navy during the war. and were consequently
eligible TO admission to the Grand Army as
yeternns Gen. Hoe has taken little interest in
Grand Army affairs and ia not n frequent at
tendant At the meetings Of hIa post.
with Gen. Shaw. our Commnnder-in- Chisf.
here at the time preparation. were max ing for
ought to ha'. been Invited to take a part. lie
n left-hands one. The Grand Army was treated
with so scant onsdsration that II was impos-
sible to accept with gnity tho invitation to
parade. and so the inv alton was declined and
members OF the Grand Army m this depart
msnt we're ordered to refrain from taxing any
with a tuil knowlsdge OF this order Gen. o.
o. Howard. an ordinary comrade from YER
way; Col II II adams Of I s;a}et'o "f T1st and and
others deliberately set out To- induce Grand
A A.my NEE to n @,FfTn.d the order :, hsF sn
on the enemy to try and induce his comrSiSs
nquestion. | thivk very few Grand Army. men
dls2Goysd th- order, but ! mean 70 nnd ont
90 per gent. OF the POSTS in re- ronsc 70 Special
Order No. 20. and have the name Of hut ono
man who rar9Ged with the uniform q the
but have not heard Of them officially as vet
am toll that there, were, ten mem bers Of
isNlNN'''r, i''Nt w lull UNI 0Illl, Or NJ leaSt
behind Gen. Howard
Certainly such men are subjects for discip-
line but the form OF punishment 10 be- melted
out TO them Ia rtil n IN alter under considern-
ton. Courts ordered in the Grand
Army Of the Republic the same IA in tn. r-gn-
lar army whom they are regarded as necessary
but We never order on" II such cours. ran
possibly be avoided, Untii We have heard from
all the post com msnders We cannot tell what
form tbs punishment will take Ii may be
necessary to convene courts-msriihl and repri-
mands NAV he sufficient discipline for the dis
ohsdisnt ones. have in mind ono cuse OF dis
obedience Of orders. Two Grand Army mon
from BrO1klyn met on the Bridge on the morn
Ing OF the day ri the parade. They were uni
formed; One was going to march with Gen.
other was going over to see the parade The
men got discuss ne the order not 10 parade and
the dlsobedlent one said 10 tho other. To he'll
with the orderp Tn" other was weak enough
TO listen 10 such talk and was finally induced
70 pnrale In the so-called uuarmcd division. I
think the weak one IL deserving OF rerri-
mand, but nothing short Of q court martial
are all matters now under consideration. 80 II
is impossible for me 10 say lust what course
vi he taken In furnishing olrcniara
As to those who have crit ciIeh their supari-
ors will sny nothing Those mon who pa raiad
a. individuals IN the unarmet division In de-
hancc Of the order not to. nrs in my opinion IA
guilty OF q soh-dience as those who wore the
how they stand however. IL n matter not vet
decided Ofthose Grand Army men who M
radcd IN other divisions "a members Of militia
organizations or ms United States officers
there 10 no criticism, They did az they saw
nj and we have nothing to say OF them"