The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-20
Army Pains and Penalties

4
The penalty fixed by the British army
authorities in South Africa for footing IS
death, and there are potent reasons
/ thereIor- Neither Lord Roberts in the
Heid nor Lord Lansdowne in London
probably would shed many tears over the
loss by fat burgher Of an equally Fat
porker which had fallen victim 10 the
lance and appetite OF a hungry private.
! but IL IS the gross abuses which are
likely TO grow out OF unchecked foraging
that make the naming Of death as tie
punishment a necessity. One confirmed
report OF indignIt!es offered BY soldiers
to the women Of an invaded country will
do more TO injure the cause OF the in
vaders in the eyes OF the world than a
dozen sea seizures OF the property Of
neutrals. There has been no end OF COM
ment. most OF il adverse upon the court
martial decree which fixed the punish
ment OF Private Bennett of the Ottawa
company Of the Canadian contingent IN
South Africa who was found guilty OF
looting The statement has been made
| freely that Benefits punishment, in
view OF the actual Hghtness OF the Of
| Tense. Is not only heavy but brutal he
Canadian soldier had taken part with
his fellows in long. arduous march.
] With them he was much exhausted and
mans rooster and served 1t up boiled
for himself and tent mates. Bennett
was sentenced 10 ffty-six days field i'm
| prisonment and 10 be bound with out
stretched arms and legs TO the wheel Of
q gun cartridge for two hours & day
This punishment undoubtedly hurts men
tally and physically. but IL does not fol-
low. as some critics seem 70 think. that
the man is to be practically crucified
4 - t. - -
sun during the ordeal. The chances are
him. where some sympathetic comrades
may lOll about and cheer him up with
the remark that he is blamed lucky not
TO be shot.
There is many q soldier in the United
States army who has walked post fer
four hours at a stretch, with a twenty
pound log on his shoulder In lieu Of a
musket, and this with 9 breakfast Of
/ bread and water as a sustaining force.
| There Is probably not a man IN Uncle
Sans forces who. while standing this
unique kind of sentry duty. would not
willingly change jobs with Private Ben
nett for the sake OF getting rid of the
extra two hours. The severest kinds OF
punishment for looting are melted out
In the Philippines by the American army
officers in control. The death penalty
was not fixed. but there are few offi-
GERS who believe firmly that II would
have been better at the outset 10 name
shooting as the punishment for the Of
Tense. Ii might have prevented two
cases of crime which were the logical
outcome of a footing disposition on the
part OF two irresponsible volunteers.
These men were court-martialed and SEN
fenced TO death. and there is no one to
weep over their fate. The spreading Of
the knowledge of these two cases
among the natives injured the American
cause with those who were disposed 10
be friendly, and the prompt condemning
to death OF the offenders did not wholly
counteract the feeling. The ultimate
success or failure of a war may depend
upon the individual act of O single sol
der, and Private Bennett, Canadian vol
unteer. hugging this thought 10 himself
as he hugs the wheel. may hold his pun
ishment light
Roaming somewhere about the United
States is a man who doubtless now has
81 wholesome respect for the authority
which the United States flag represents.
even II he have no love in his heart for
the flag itself About twelve years ago
this man enlisted In the United States
army and was sent TO the recruiting rem
devious at Davld's Island. He had been
in the country only a short time but az
enlistment restrictions were few he sue
ceeded IN getting into the service one
day he was sitting IN the low wooden
David's Island barracks when a recruit
called attention 10 the fact that the
guard detail was taking down the garri-
son flag and running up the storm coll
ors. This brought from the newly en-
listed one a grossly insulting remark
about the Stars and Stripes big Maine
lumberman. who had Joined the forces
not long before. heard the remark. reach
ed over. grabbed the offender by the
collar and threw him bodily through the
window. After the doctor had patched
him up a little he was sent to the guard
house and court-martialed. The fact that
he was recruit and a foreigner saved
him from some years IN Leavenworth.
but he Will remember his punis rnent
for some time TO come. He put IN seven
days In an absolutely dark cell on a
hunk Of bread and a cup Of water three
times a day. II Private Bennett suffers
from heat under the rays Of Africa's
sun he may yet congratulate himself that
his state Is not as was that OF this
other Uncle Sans recruit was given
his blanket. to be sure. but Il was dead
winter-a David's Island winter at that
and he was put into an unheated cell
At the END OF the seven days the pris-
oner was fed up a little and put at
hard work for two weeks Then he vas
put back into the cold cell again and
given bread and water for seven days
Then Uncle sam made him salute the
colors and kicked him out OF the SER
vice-An Army Officer