The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-10
'PlNOS IN RASK'S EYES
FORMER M1NNEAPoL1TAN WRITES
Lieutenant Of the Marine Corps Who
Is Making q Record in the
Philippines.

From The journal Bureau, Room 10. Post
B"tIdtssg, WasAingtoss.
Washington, April 1O.-Lieutenant o. H.
Rask Of the Marine corps, a former Min
| neapolis boy, has written an interesting
| letter to friend in Washington, regard
ing conditions in the Philippine islands,
to which point he was assigned for duty
several months ago. Lieutenant Rask is
graduate Of the University of Mime
sofa, and for a number of years prior to
his commission in the marine corps did
newspaper work in both Minneapolis and
st. Paul. He Is making fine record as a
soldier, and one which is specially crafty
ing to Senator Nelson, who secured his
appointment, and to his many Minnesota
friends.
After arriving at. Manila, he was as
signed to duty for a few days at the
marine barracks, Cavite, and was then
| appointed regimental quartermaster for
the First regiment, with headquarters at
Bacoor, where he now is. The only white
people In Bacoor, a town of 1900 people,
are the members Of the garrison, and
school teacher, Miss Bennett, whose home
is in Graceville, MINI. AS quartermaster,
Lieutenant Rask receives the pay of
captain mounted, $4,000 year, plus the
ten per cent additional for foreign SER
vice. Bacoor is fourS miles from Cavite
and seventeen miles from Manila, on the
ol!OAS VI LuS Udy, duu us cllLudt0 Is uS-
lightful. Regarding conditions in the ISL
ands, Lieutenant Rask writes:
From What have been able to see thus far.
the Philippines are not nearly so black as
they have been painted by a few of the people
who have returned to the states. At present
! under the civil government there is very little
If any, hiking for the troops to do, and so
| they spend the time very pleasantly at the
several posts. The hostility at present is
only on the part of the bandit bands. which
for hundreds Of years have infested these
islands The civil government has under
! taken to put down these bands, and we have
| nothing to do with the work. unless requested
| by the civil authorities to assist-precisely
J the same status as exists in the states In re-
gard to the use of troops. Of course. it is
different in the island of Samar, where there
| Is still military government.
| Just word regarding the civil governments
| military efforts. There is "a so-called Philip
pine constabulary of about 1000 natives, divid-
| ed among the several provinces, and working
under inspectors, Americans usually and for
| mer officers Of volunteers. At its head are
two army officers. Major Allen and Captain
Baker-two very excellent officers-old Indian
fighters. When the constabuary takes the
/ field, it goes out in from twelve to twenty
] small columns and works continually, day
and night, until the bandits are rounded up.
! Besides, the constabularly, each village has
| its own native police force. Manila has the
metropolitan police. men picked from the
best discharged soldiers, usually non-commis-
stoned officers. I believe 1t is the best police
force in the world.
The conditions in Samar are still far from
being satisfactory. The people are savages
and don't know anything about civilization
or the arts Of peace. nor do they want to
| know. Our battalion has just returned from
| there, after a very rough experience One
detachment, commanded by Lieutenant A. s..
| Williams, chum of mine, was lost for eigh-
teen days. during which it was harrassed by
the natives and suffered untold agonies of
| hunger and thirst. The men were covered
with tropical boils. leeches and insects, and
so intense was the suffering that nearly every
one Of them had lost his mind before the ar
| rival Of the relief. The men were too weak
to carry thir own rifles. and so had some of
the natives to do ii for them. Finally they
were attacked by these very natives, and
| Lieutenant Williams wounded by 8. bolo
nine times. Since the Greedy expedition, it is
said that no band of men has suffered as this
one did. Lieutenant Williams is at present
a physical wreck and is to be sent to the
naval hospital at Yokohama.
| Mrs. Rask did not accompany her hus-
band to the Philippines. She is living in
| the interior of New York state with rela-
| tives. Mrs. Rask before her marriage was
society editor of St. Paul morning
| paper. -.:-
! . w. w. Jermane.