The times., 1899-07-24
Wore stnnidftx ut ,ln,irn.

Chief Surgeon Woodruff. OF Major Gen
eral Oils stan, has recommended that at
I least forty more assistant surgeons be sent
10 the Philippines for the new campaign.
General OTIS very promptly disapproyes
the recommendation. The Administration.
to be consistent in its treatment of Otis.
may be expected to ignore the opinion OF
the medical expert, and uphold" the Coz
ernor- General
No reason is given for General Otis dis
approval. And yet it should not be re-
garded as an unusual freak of stubborn
ness or a glittering display of dull incom-
petence when we reflect on the mighty
hest OF other freakish things Otis has done
in the exercise of his power as the com
manding general in the Orient Though
the necessity was great for an active,
pushing, able commander in the field, he
stupidity held Lawton On waiting orders
at Maniln for weeks after the arrival of
that experienced old Indian fighter, before
permitting him to go to the frcnt and push
back the advancing lines CT the mutineers.
He did this, Of course, because he was jeal-
Gus of Lawton. While this petty reason is
no excuse at all, still to some order of
intellects il may present extenuating cir
cumstances.
But what possible reason can Otis give
for refusing TO approve the recommenda-
tions OF his chief surgeon for more doc
tors? Possibly it may be found in the
chickering's and jealousies that have always
existed between the medical department
and the line of the Army Probably Otis
like other small creatures who have here
tofore exercised command in our antiquat
ed and unscienuGc military establishment
IS determined TO see to it that the "blanked
doctors shall not run the Army"
1t is hoped, however, that the Admins
tration will take this matter entirely cut
of Otis hands, ana send an adequate forea
of skilled surgeons TO re-enforce the medi-
cal corps in the Philippines. We are told
that there are now three thousand sick SOL
diers in the hospitals and despite the rigid
censorship at Manila and again at the War
Office in Washington, the reports show a
daily increase in the sick list. At the
present rate it is not impossible thai
the number of the sick in hospitals Will
be twice or three times as many be-
fore the rainy season ends as IT ia
now. The ten new regiments now be-
ing organized for the Philippines will
carry over there only thirty surgeons II
fully ciiicered. Experience has abundantly
demonstrated the absolute necessity of reg
mental surgeons remaining with their
commands. Not one of this force. there
fore. should be detailed TO hospital dutv
In fact the battalion organization and ad-
ministration contemplate the presence of
one surgeon with each of the three grand
divisions OF the regiment No competent
commander would dare entrust the beaItb
OF his command to a regimental or other
hospital steward.
And yet, in face OF such state of facts
Otis objects to his corps being re-enforced
by forty additional surgeons. His atti-
tude IS as ircomprehensible as it is appalI
ing. II it is not due to stubbornness il Is
due TO much worse character of stupid
ity, which is an insane desire to conceal
the real facts of the situation From this
view Of the case, he appears to think that
If he asks for more surgeons il Will be
proof OF the unhealthfulness OF his CON.
mand and the unhealthfulness Of the Philip.
pine climate. knowledge of these facts
at home he seems to fear would ,nture
his own cause as we'll as that of our
future in the islands. OF course. in this
he shows as little capacity for the great
work in hand as he does in his militar,
administration. The American people are
thoroughly cognizan; Of climatic condi
lions in the Philippines. Every officer ana
man now volunteering for service against
Aguinaldo's mutinous Malays knows TIA
the archipelago is not a health resort.
Every man headed for the. Far East
knows that he is going TO an unhea.ehy
climate. But he has exceilert reason to
rely on his Government. while out fight
ing its battles for adequate medical skill
whereby he may be able to overcome the
climatic handicap which will be placed
upon his military energy and martial couf-
age. II the situation demanded a surgeon
for every soldier it would not weaken the
determination of the American people to