The Irish standard., 1902-12-13
AMERICAN MILITARY OFFICERS.

The most important duty for future
legislators in America will be to curb
the military spirit which is at present
endeavoring to put our army on the
same level and imbue it with the same
ideas as the hireling forces of Ger
many and England. When Generals
Young and Corbin returned from Eu-
rope, after hobnobbing with Emperor
William and King Edward, they were
filled with praises of the armies of
these enslavers Of the people. Our
military officers should be made to UNI
derstnnd that the civil power is su-
preme in this country, and that the
army is only a minor adjunct of that
power, says the National Hibernian
Under this head General Corbln re-
Gently gave utterance to the following
un-American sentiments:
'"The American Congress contains
many distinguished soldiers who
fought thirty-fve years ago, and who
oppose any army changes with the
cry: This system was good enough
for Grant, Sheridan and Sherman;
why isn't it good enough for you? The
mention of those names, coupled with
OratOrical rot, is able in America to
prevent any reasonable plan or changes
which Secretary of War Root may
formulate. II Mr.. Root was able to
carry out his ideas the American army
could easily be made better than the
German"
When we remember that Secretary
Root is only corporation attorney,
and never served day in any army,
we have reason to thank our stars that
we have such sensible men in Con-
gress, and that the "oratorical rot"
which General Corbin complains Of is
still believed in by the ma jority of our
people.
General Young has now distinguish
ed himself in this line. In recent
speech he tells us that Ito carry OH
war, disguise it as we may, is to be
cruel--to kill and burn, burn and kill
and again kill and burn" This Ian.
guage is uncalled for, and is more fit-
ted for u bloody Cromwell than Il sol
dier in the army Of the United States.
This spirit has been growing in the
army of late years. Funston gave vent
to it when he shouted Bully for Ma
jor Waller" who killed all his pris-
oners, and Jake Smith, who is now
continually shedding crocodile tears,
followed the same path in his order:
kill all over ten-make Samar
bowling wilderness!" Now the evil has
reached our citizen soldiers, the order
to kill all who Cry scab" having,
during the coal strike, been issued to
the Pennsylvania National Guard.
This evil spirit is not only contrary
to the traditional principles of our gov
ernment, but it is demoralizing to the
growing generation and ruinous to the
morals of the rank and file Of the army.
According to the judge-advocateg gener-
ais report the crimes committed by
the soldiers Of the American army dur
ing the year ending June 80 last in-
cluded AT cases of larceny, II as
saults on women, 10 murders, 46 at
tempts at murder and 76O convictions
for drunkenness.
This is a most disgraceful record,
but it is only natural when we con-
slider the heinous crimes committed
with impunity by those in authority.
The New York World compares it with
the record of the 400 miners recent
ly on strike, to the great credit of the
latter, and infers that the miners got
through their ordeal in far more or
derly manner than the soldiers whose
duty it is to maintain discipline.
Men like Senator Hoar and Congress-