Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-05
lie TAKES EXCEPTIONS TO THE TlFTIETH

" AAAA 80 a - \ IA
should be instructed thoroly and
should be repeatedly questioned to see
that they understand their instruc-
tions.
Mess Tents Needed.
THE state should supply mess tents
and tables of uniform pattern for each
company and band. The makeshifts
now used mar the military appearance
of a camp.
Liable to Special Inspection.
81 think that any company that fails
to show in camp reasonable prof
ficiency in company drill, military
courtesy and guard duty, should be Ii
able for a special inspection with a
view to muster out. Seyenty-five per
cent OF the aggregate strength of a
company is the least attendance that
can justify the expenditure of the
money used in camp instruction. Any
company that has less than this aver
age attendance in camp should be dis
banded, unless it can be shown, on
thoro Investigation, that special and
proper reasons prevented it.
Military Appearance Married..
"The military appearance of our
camps is marred by the ununiform
methods of arranging the tents. This
can only be corrected by general or
der from the adjutant generals office.
No mattresses should be allowed in
camp, but all should be required to
rack should be issued for the rifles,
nd 10 ,o;,
rifles in them and not to strew them
about the camp as they did in the
Fifty-first this year. Every detail for
the arrangement of the tent should be
laid down in the order.
The "Set Up" is Poor.
''The setsup' of the whole guard is
poor. There should never be drill
at the home station without ten min
utes of some kind of gymnastic drill
to get the shoulders back and heads
up, and the men should be encouraged
to practice such exercises at their
homes and when not in ranks. The
set up of soldier, more than any
thing else, is what marks the regular
from the militiaman. Daily in camp
this drill should be practicad for tel.
minutes Immediately after reveille roll
call. A week of this work will I'M
men, and it will do the officers no
harm to take part in the same.
Surgeons Are Lax.
In this connection l wish to call
the attention of the adjutant general
to the lax manner in which some of
our examining surgeons are perform
ing their duty. At least twenty-five
per cent of the guard members are be-
low the standard physically and
would be rejected if re-examined for
enlistment in the regular or volunteer
army. The state has paid the sur
geons this year over $3.50 and it is en-
titled to better returns for the money
expended.
Complained of Dates.
Many of the men have complained
to me that it is impossible for them to
leave their business the first and last
of the month. Would it not be we'll
to remember this in arranging date OF
camps. | personally have never been
able to see any reason why our camps
should be held in July or August, the
hottest months of the year and the
very time when many, who can get
away, would like to take trip out of
the state to the mountains. June or
September, either or both, seem to me
more suitable months for our encamp.
mentS.
Y. M. C. A. in Camp.
1.-THE Y. M. C. A. had reading and
writing tent, with newspapers, sta
tionary and ice water, in each camp.
Such club rooms are great comfort
to the men, but would prefer to see
them supplied by the state with the
chaplain in charge. 1t is not good
idea to have in camp any Institution
that is not completely under the con-
troll of the commanding officer.
Inspections at Home.
"The inspections at the home sta
tons this year show the companies in
very unsettled condition, and in or
der that they may make showing at
all, | had to make the standard very
liberal. Next year the standard will
be higher and the markings will be
lower, for better work. But as all will
be treated alike this will work no in
justice in the grading.
Many designations.
Soon after the reorganization
many officers and enlisted men found
that they could not, with justice to
themselves and the guard, remain in.
Either their business interfered, or
they had lost all interest. Some thir-
ty-four officers have resigned, twenty
two of these company commanders,
and over eleven hundred enlisted men
had been discharged, all of which in.
terferes seriously with discipline and
instruction. think that we can from
now on look for a more settled condi.
ton and better results
Property in Good Condition.
"The property is in better condition
and the records better kept, than be
foro nj h ~, orioo,, MOI, Now,