The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-22
A SOLDIERS VIEW OF IT.
American Army i'm China, Its Appear
ance and Effectiveness.
Boston Journal.

Boston Journal.
One of General Chaffee's aids in the
march to Picking. Lieutenant Franklin, of
the Twenty-third Infantry has sent to the
War Department a report of that campaign
and comparison OF the allied troops en-
gagged in it which quite surpasses in inter-
est and, of course, in professional authority
any work of the international correspond
ents.
Lieutenant Franklin starts with the fun
damental proposition that the American
soldier was the best fighting man OF all the
allies. and he does not think it necessary
TO say anything more of this. But he in
sist, also in fiat contradiction of the state
ments of some newspaper men who fol-
lowed the column month or two after,
that the American, in that arduous tramp
from Tien-Tsin UP the Pei-Ho TO the be-
leaguered legations. was also the best fed
and provided for. The Americans, more
over, Lieutenant Franklin declares. kept
the best policed and cleanest camps" Next
after them came the British and the Jap
anese, but this American officer was as
tOnished at the slackness of the continental
soldiery except perhaps. the Germans.
In transportation, the Americans, with
their light, strong wagons, hauled by SIX
mules and carrying about two tons, had an
undeniable advantage over the pack horses
and mules OF the other services. This is
another point on which the press corre-
spondents seem 10 have been woefully misin-
formed. They have described the American
transportation clumsy and inadequate
but they have been vigorously contradicted
by General Chaffee himself and Lieutenant
Franklin, whose official duty ii was TO take
cOsnizance Of these things, supports his
commander. Indeed considering the long
and rough marches which our regulars
have been compelled to make year after
year in the Indian country, ii is only rea-
sonable to expect that they should go into
such work as the China campaign far bet
ter prepared than troops accustomed to the
smooth roads and short distances OF Eu-
rope.
In the matter of dress Lieutenant Frank
lin describes our regular uniform as SEN
sible, but not particularly attractive. The
blue flannel shirts, soft hats and stout
shoes were well adapted to comfort, but
men of the United States, Lieutenant
Franklin acknowledges, seemed to lack
proper pride in personal appearance This
Is a fault which our regulars have devel-
oped since their contact with the Rough
Riders and volunteers in the war of 1898.
But Lieutenant Franklin makes this i'm
pcrtant distinction, that the Americana
arms were always clean and in good order.
and he can shoot and take care of him
self better than his more neatly dressed
brothers in arms" Moreover "he was ami
mated by a spirit of humanity and regard
for the rights of others that was in marked
contrast to the actions of these same pre-
sumably disciplined troops. And there is
good Yankee common sense in Lieutenant
Franklins conclusion that, after all, these
things are the true test of true discipline,
and not perfect alignment and polished
buttons. But both could go hand in hand"
This official report of a keen. accom-
plished professional soldier makes very
amateurish the stories which brilliant cor
respondents have told i'm newspapers and
magazines. What Lieutenant Franklin
writes is, In the main. just what citizens
who are proud of their country would de-
sire and expect as the record of the troops
of the Republic.