The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-13
coRB1Ns RECOMMENDATIONS.
| They Indicate that the General Ii
Something of Snob.

Boston Transcript.
The army reports are beginning to come
In. Those Of General Miles. OF the pay
master general. the commissary general
and OF the adjutant general have been sub
mitted TO the secretary of war and pub
lished General Miles contented himself
with generalities. varied by few SPECIFIC
recommendations. mainly OF service inter-
est The adjutant general. who writes as
IL he thought himself the commanding gen.
eral makes recommendations that are as
sure TO challenge controversy as they are
to enlist attention. General Corbin appears
TO have been greatly Europeanized by his
recent hasty tour in the old world. as he
recommends as reforms certain changes
which would assimilate our social military
system TO that of foreign powers. Thus
he says that the early marriages of the
younger officers of the army. many OF
whom are entirely dependent on their pay
and allowances for support, is condition
to be deplored and should be discouraged
But why is early marriage OF young Of
ficers to be deplored? General Corbip does
not tell US. but We infer that he regards IL
as deplorable because IL compels them 10
live economically.
The experience of the old world suggests
that regulation has not worked well moral
iy. In many countries OF continental Eu-
by the government They must show. to
the satisfaction of the minister of war,
that the ladies they select for their help
meets have sufficient private means to
maintain the social position OF officers.
wives; that they come OF either moneyed
or an aristocratic class Two untoward re,
suits have sprung from this governmental
requirement. Young officers without means
enter into relations with penniless women
of which the law takes no cognizance and
which the army regards as justified by the
circumstances. The second result Is the
development of the business OF furnishing
straw dowries. This has become almost
calling in some countries, the parties To
the marriage paying a heavy secret COM
mission TO the broker who provides them
ostensibly, but not actually, with securities
sufficient TO meet the government require
ments. A little investigation would have
been sufficient to provide General Corbin.
during his recent European tour. with
very sufficient amount OF information as 10
the customs TO which government regnla-
ton of officers marriages has given rise,
notably in France.
If there were any parity in pay between
our officers and European officers General
Corbins recommendations might have some
force in it; but there Is not. In most Euro
IS mo nominal. The intention Of the average
European government IL that the army
shall be officered by aristocrats and that
1t shall be made so expensive a service
that outside the privileged orders only the
very wealthiest OF the mercantile class
shall be able to obtain commissions for
their sons IN european military circles
generally there is a great contempt for
trade" We once heard a British officer
say that "a tradesman's son" might get
along after q while lin a line regiment IL
he would put up with chatting at first, but
never in the Guards" In America we want
to draw the best from all classes when We
are commissioning officers. There are no
dukes sons in this country, but we have no
objection 10 cooks sons IL they are capa-
BILE. Consequently we pay our officers WELL
A second lieutenant, fresh from West
Point, receives s., 400 to $500 per annum,
according to the arm of the service, various
allowances and quarters.
How many young professional men alb
solutely start in their career with fixed
earnings equivalent to the pay and allow
ances of a second lieutenant? Very Few,
we believe. II they marry young and are
men of sense they eschew many expenses
they permitted themselves when single
Why should not young army officers do the
same? lesson on plain living and high
thinking would more become Adjutant Gen.
eral Corbin than a suggestion that the gov
eminent undertake to regulate the domes-
| tic relations of it's officers on a basis fol-
| lowed with bad results in Europe. 1t is the
more singular that he should make this
| recommendation at the very time when
| British officers of distinction are urging
| their government to advance officers pay
| to point that will make IL attractive TO
| young men of talent and energy who are
| without private means.