Waterbury Democrat., 1902-11-17
GOOD WORDFOR ARMY
Inspector Generals Report Is
Very Exhaustive
THE ENTIRE SERVICE COMMENDED.
Breckenridge Defends the Conduct of
the Soldiers In the Philippines
After Having Visited the
Islands Officially.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE an
nual report of General ]. G. Breckin-
ridge, inspector general of the army, is
voluminous document and covers
every phase Of the military establish
ment and each department bureau and
command in the army. 1t contains
more than fifty recommendations and
suggestions relating to improvements
in the army, most Of which pertain 20
technical matters and minor conditions.
General Breckenridge finds much to
commend in all branches of the service
and reports progress and improvements
everywhere.
The most serious criticism is in re-
gard to absenteeism where officers are
on detached duty, leaving the regi-
ments short of officers. Thus, in the
Philippines especially, it is found that
many companies are without captains
and the companies in command Of new
and untried officers. He attributes this
to lack of officers in the army to fill the
details and detached assignments.
General Breckenridge shows that in
structions in the army is progressing
satisfactorily. He recommends the for
LITIGATION of Pearl harbor, in the Ha-
waiian Islands, as a strategic point.
He says water transportation in the
army is rapidly assuming stable and
economical methods.
He has the following to say regard
ing his inspection in the Philippines:
During my tour in the Philippines
it was evident on all sides that the
army as whole was laboring patient
~ and faithfully to solve the many
Yexing problems continually presented
to it. The difficulties encountered and
the hardships endured never can be
fully appreciated by any one who has
not been on the ground and observed
the daily life of officers and men 1000
miles from home influences and asso-
Citations, living in communities either
openly or secretly hostile, depending
almost entirely for their subsistence
upon the commissary, where one is al
ways afraid to take even an ordinary
drink of water without ascertaining
first whether it has been cooked. Crit
les at home may sometimes search for
epithets to apply to our general Off
GERS, but these officers are no less kind
hearted than their critics and were
anxiously mindful of the sufferings
which necessarily fall upon the inno-
cent in warfare as well as the guilty
and were devising means by which the
poor might be cared for and fed.
"That the army performed its duties
well and bore its hardships uncom-
plaining1y is well known to all who
have kept in touch with it since the
opening Of the Philippine insurrection.
In fact, it has only done those things
which we expect Of it and which we
will continue to expect Of American
soldiers.
There has been good deal of dis
cussion in the public press and else
where concerning the treatment of the
native Filipinos by the American
troops, and some rather serious charges
have been brought against the army
which, however, have not been sub
Stimulated. The conditions Of war in
the Philippine Islands have been per-
haps unusual and from reasons arising
from the conduct of the Fi1ipinos them
selves, who as the authorities agree,
are sometimes extremely cruel and
treacherous. In the conduct of the
American army toward them the exer-
else of unexampled patience is claimed,
and the humanity of the troops en-
gagged has no parallel in the history of
dealing with Asiatics."