The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-04
SHARP CRITICISM
FROM MACARTHUR
Returned Soldiers Prove
easy Marks"
LOSE MONEY AT RESORTS
Sometimes Dragged and Beaten-A
Clash With Civil Ser
vice Rules.
LOSE MONEY AT RESORTS

American soldiers returning from the
Philippines are harshly arraigned in the
annual report OF Mai. Gen. Arthur Mac
Arthur, commanding the Department OF
California, which has just been made
public. 1t contains the following COM
ment on the young soldiers:
The stupidity and imb-cility Of these
'short-term' men coming from the Phil
ippines is almost unbelievable Young
Americans, amply able 10 take care of
themselves anywhere. under any circum-
stances, while IN service abroad, seem
to take leave Of their senses when they
arrive on United States soil; willingly
become the prey of the sharks found In
every big city.
Instances and figures could be given
to prove that out Of 200 Of these men
paid off and permitted to go to the city
on the evening boat, with railroad tick
cts purchased and money orders pay
able to themselves at their homes), fifty
Of them would turn up next morning
robbed of everything many dangerously
injured By blows and drugs. Upon one
occasion out Of thirty-one men who fool
ishly stayed over one night, nineteen
turned up next morning beaten. robbed
Of tickets. orders and clothes"
Trouble About Cle1kships.
General Macarthur also declares that
stringent and impossible" Civil Service
Commission rules have seriously handi-
| capped the Department of California In
its clerical work
In setting forth the conflict with the
commission. General Macarthur quotes
and commends the following extracts
from a report made by Capt A c.
Markley. Thirteenth Infantry stationed
at the depot of recruits and casuaIs. on
Angel Island.
The contest with the Civil Service
Commission has continued, involving in
! itself correspondence, taking time and
labor. with much disheartening cOnse-
quences to myself and TO other Of
| hcers responsible for this work
AT this late day IL has been possible
| 20 Obtair. but two civil service clerks
who are competent.
There Is now one temporary incum-
/ bent, for whom authority IS obtained
| from month 10 month. until a competent
| clerk can be obtained, and one on pro-
patlon VINO seems TO De IKE many or
I his predecessors-bound to be found IN
! competent.
Unused to Army Routine.
This incompetence has not an Of
! fensive meaning. II simply means that
/ many highly Intelligent and skillful
clerks are not competent TO do this
work, because ii requires a familiarity
with the army itself and with the IN
/ tricate and technical system of army
| administration. that can be acquired
/ only by experience in the army.
-'As for time for nOvices to learn the
! business. however reasonable such a
| thing may appear. there Is. as has been
/ stated in correspondence with the Civil
| Service Commission. no time here FOR
/ that kind OF a thing. The commission
| insists that there must be. that any
] other condition conflicts with the spirit
1 OF civil service rules. This may be so.
/ but II is like saying that intemperanco
I and the social evil must be abolished
at once. This spirit results in COM
polling officers and soldiers to do. with
! out pay. the work that paid clerks
should do