Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-15
ARMY PRISON NEEDED
REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF THE
LAKES BY GEN. BATES.
discomfort With Baby Blue" Facings
Recruits Not Up to the Standard
Success Of Meal Ticket System.

The annual report of Major General j. =.
Bates, commanding the Department OF the
Lakes has been made public at the war
Department. 1t contains no radical recon-
mendations but IS mainly review OF the
report of the various staff officers OF the
department The need of military prison
is pointed out by General Bates.
Gen. Bates says:
The post guard houses have been over
crowded, although under instructions from
superior authority l have released many
prisoners where, in my Judgment such &C
ton was not likely to be detrimental to
discipline. and, in some cases, am AFRAID
1 have rather exceeded that limit in eff
forts to reduce the number of prisoners.
Furthermore, / think it has bad effect
upon the young soldier entering the service
to have constantly before his eyes these old
soldiers serving long sentences, and that
1t would be IN the interest of discipline
to send all men under sentence or year
or more away from the post to a military
prison"
Gen Bates says that nothing of unusual
character was developed during Inspections
of the year. Such irregularities and de-
fects as were observed at inspections of
posts and commands were generally minor
in character and in every attention
of the commanding officer was called to the
deficiency oral suggestions made and RENE
dial action taken at the tlrne
Recruits Not Up to Standard.
AT the inspections OF the various COM
mands and during stay of Inspector at
pests" says Gen. Bates. lit was observed
that the character and general physical
appearance of recruits not up to the
same standard compared with those OF
former years. The number of undeveloped
youths appeared especially noticeable.
"Col. Heyl states that he observed that
the baby blue facings for infantry are
unpopular and without exception opposed
by all infantry officers, and that return to
the white facings is universally desired
as also is the retention of the officers
former blue overcoat in lieu of the new
olive drab overcoat.
THE inspector general reports the be-
havior of the troops at each post as good
and proper discipline appeared to be main
tanned. The general mess system in opera
ton at Fort Sheridan. Columbus barracks
and Fort Thomas is in each instance re-
ported to be unsatisfactory. Return to
company mess system is recommended.
With the establishment of larger posts
and the increase of additional field uni
form the necessity of installing laundries
In all garrisons is greatly felt. This is
especially noticeable at posts where cav
airy and field artillery are stationed where
from the requirements of mounted duty
the gradual increased cost for laundry
The inspector general reports the arms
and equipments of the commands through
out the department In good condition, and
the uniforms generally neat and well fit
ting.
The supplies of all kinds are sufficient
In kind and quantity, and the various COM
Tands in their several organizations are
thought to be in readiness and in good
condition for both field and garrison serv-
Ice, and all regulations and orders for the
comfort. health and cleanliness and disci-
pline of the men and care and use Of prop
erty are complied with throughout the de-
partment.
The Meal Ticket System.
THE meal ticket system has been an
unqualified success, but one report of I'M
satisfactory service having been received
and that was found to be groundless. The
list of railroads west of this city on which
meal requests are available shows prac-
tically every road concerned Major Mis-
Kern is OF opinion that il would be to the
advantage of the service If the system
OF using meal requests instead of commu-
tatlon or rations was extended over the
country. and certainly an established sys-
tenn or this kind would prove of great
VaIue In an emergency such as that of
lS9S. II arrangements were made by the
chief commissaries of the different depart
ments with roads having headquarters in
the limits of the department the system
could be extended and a commissary meal