Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-12-09

We have been familiarized with the |
the battlefield by the mastery hands |
OF great artists. What Erckmann-
Chatrian and lola have done in this
direction Lionel Decle" has accom-
plished for the life OF private soldier
In quarters and In barrack II must
be accepted as a genuine testimony, a
faithful account OF the hardships
which are to be undergone by that
large proportion OF Frenchmen who
have to serve .-eir time in the ranks,
and which are shared to great extent
by recruits in all armies. With the
French, however, the tyrannical prin-
ciple OF lie respect de la chose jugee"
Is carried to the last extreme, and
intensifies the cruelty OF military life.
1t is to this principle that Dreyfus was
sacrificed, and in its extension
throughout the ranks 1t produces
frightful injustice. The colonel forms
his opinion OF private from the char
acter given him by his corporal or ser
geant, and the mere fact OF appealing
against punishment is considered an
act Of characterization Decle does not
pose as a martyr. He acknowledges
that some of his frequent punishments
we're deserved, but he says: III |
had been treated like a free human
being and not like convict-if had
not been bullied. as we'll as unjustly
and unduly punished should not
have become-as / did-desperate, car
ing little whether | was punished or
not. l fully understand and excuse
the motives which prompt so many
| men to desert-men who have neither
position nor reputation to maintain
and frankly declare that, rather than
have served another year, | would
have become deserter myself" Here
is drill incident under one of the
severest sergeants in the regiment, De
Cormet: HE had ordered the second
position of the coup de sable vers 10
proite, which consists in holding the
sword extended to the right at arm
length; at the end of a few minutes
the troopers became so tired that none
of them was able to hold their bodies
straight, and had to put their left
shoulders down and let the points OF
their swords drop. De Cormet, as
usual. walked behind them, coolly
saying: Trooper Gabier, four days
more for not holding yourself straight:
Trooper Chirae. your sword is not
straight; you will have two days more,
and SO on. All of sudden one of the
prisoners, a poor. weak fellow, said t
him: Sergeant, my hands are frozen
will you allow me to blow in them fo
one minutes | can't hold my swort
any longer -Four days for speaking
in the ranks answered De Cormet, il
his monotonous voice. The trooper
fingers were as white as wax, and h
soon repeated his request, with sim
: liar result At last. unable to stant
the pain any longer, the trooper pu
his sword under his arm and blew oil
his fingers. Hold your sword in pc
sition at once said the sergeant
shall report you TO the colonel. But
sergeant, l can't, said the trooper
You refuse to obey said the sergeant
. 4 can't, can't said the trooper, sob
bling with pain, and at the tame tim
trying to grasp his sword. but findin
himself unable to close his benumbe
fingers. Again the sergeant ordere'
! him to hold his sword out, but tn
man burst into tears and once NOR
sobhed: 4 can't, ! can't!' Thereupo
the sergeant commanded another pris
|, oner to carry the sword, and. eallin
out to one of the troopers on guarC
ordered him to fetch the corporal, an
u when the latter came he had the poo
: fellow conveyed to the cells and re
: ported him for refusal to obey order!
The trooper was therefore tried b
court-martial and sentenced to tw
years hard labor" Boston Trans