Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-17
SQUELCHED THE SOL0N
YOUNG LIEUTENANT TALKED
BACK TO MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
Explained How Fine Dinners, Good
Cigars, Choice Liquors, Expensive
Clothes, Etc, Were Provided.

| Net so many years ago a member of
Congress was entertained at dinner by a
| party of army officers who we're encamped
| at target range for the purpose of Civ
| ing their troops their annual rifle practice
The fare set before the guests emf
| nently satisfactory. The service of the
| white jacketed waiter was good and the
| table furniture was fine.
| You fellows have no kick coming against
the way the government treats you, the
| member declared as he leaned back In his
camp chair to better enjoy the aroma of
| the very excellent cafe nor that rose from
the enameled metal coffee cup beside his
plate You certainly have kick COM
| Ing" and the member settled back more
| comfortably still and pulled away at a
| Porto Rico perfecto that had been given
him
The senior officer present glanced about
| at his comrades as though at loss for some
| thing to say. A reply to the remark OF
| the national legislator seemed to be needed,
| but just what his hosts could not under
| stand.
"oh, we are not kicking" nonchalantly
replied young second lieutenant; we are
getting along quite comfortably
No; you certainly have no kick coming
/ The member seemed to like the phrase and
repeated it. Il heard the fellows in the
| House tell about your being poorly paid
and all that. / didn't take any stock in it
| at the time. and this proves IL. You GER
| tainly are well fed and well clothed. and
the officers glanced at each other. at
their blue dress clothes, routed from their
| trunks in honor of the guest while the
man of the people pulled his cigar--"you
certainly have no kick coming
Young Lieutenant Took Issue.
Il don't see that the government has any
great credit coming to itself by reason of
the fact that we are so well fed and
| clothed and L do think We pretty shah
| billy treated to the matter of pay" de-
| clared the brash young second lieutenant
| amid the frowns of his fellows.
He was a young thing. Had done things
| in the Philippine volunteer army Il couple
of years and had just drawn commission
| in the regular service. His father a
| big railway president.
| mo. sir" he continued Il cannot see
| anything here that has opened your eyes
or taught you anything about ouI con-
| dition.'
The member of Congress perked up
| bit
Don't you call this kind of feed good?'
| he demanded Don't you call those clothes
| finer
Yes this feed is the best this part OF
the country can afford, and our clothes, at
least mne are as good money can buy,
but what has that got to do with it?' The
| brash second lieutenant was not TO be
abashed by the greatness of the member of
the lower house.
Young man." Mr.. Representative de-
clared severely do not try to put me in
the wrong. You know and know what /
| mean. If the government was not over
generous to you how would You get those
clothes and how would you get these ar
ticles of food? l did not know before
came here that the money appropriated
for soldiers rations was being used TO buy
fine coffee. extra good cigars, Scotch
| whisky, mushrooms and spring chicken for
| the officers, to say nothing of gold trimmed
| caps and broadcloth clothing.
| ooh, that's what is troubling YOU eh!
| The second lieutenant was not DIT
squelched. I'm mighty glad you brought
up the subject. I've always heard members
of Congress didn't know anything about
the army, but didn't know they were so
absolutely ignorant you seem to be.
| An ordinary second lieutenant should not
talk thus to a mighty member of Congress
and the member was little taken aback-
The officer continued:
Gave Scion Few Facts.
81 just want to point out a few facts to
you that might be interesting in the prep
aration of the next appropriation bill.
happen to be mess officer here and know
Just what am talking about This dinner
you are eating cost us exactly 81 apiece.
Understand? Each one of US Clipped In
two round dollars out of our own pockets
20 produce this repast And what Is more
| that is what we pay every day We are
| in camp. At the post our mess Dill Is
sometimes a little less At some posts you
can get fairly decent assortment CT food
stuffs three times per day at the modest
rate of $3.50 and might take that as an
average. Not a penny of that comes out OF
the army appropriation. Every cent comes
from our own pockets and we have to pay
up promptly, too. That cigar you are srnok-
ing cost us 91a cents and We buy them by
the thousand through the post exchange at
West Point.
.'This lovely blue coat the cloth of which
you admire so much, my tailor charged me
lust S45 to make. You can get them rs
low as $50. but they are not as serviceable
| kind These breaches 1 have on my tailor
charged me SIS for. That cap over there
represents investment of $3.50 These
leggins were $3.50 and the shoes 81 And
| every officer in this camp has at least three
| blue blouses, two pairs OF breeches, two
| pairs of trousers. costing from S15 to $50;
two pair of leggins, one pair OF boots, cost.
ing SIG at the lowest; two or three pairs or
shoes, to say nothing of field uniform, fuli-
dress uniform; overcoat and camp equipage;
| and every cent thereof including the chair
YOU are sitting in, the table on which this
food is served the dishes in which 1t IS
| served the cot and blankets In the tent, ct
| cetra adlibtum infinitum. was bought
| and paid for out OF the nigh salary you are
| talking abour.
What the Government Furnishes.
1.-The government furnishes an army Of
| ficer absolutely nothing In the field but food
| for his horse. In garrison it gives him
house and at some garrisons those houses
are the worst tumble-down shanties you
]
| ever saw. His clothes, food and equipage
come from his own pockets and the average
| tailor and bootmaker put about 10 or % per
| cent on everything he sells an officer OF the
| army. See these leggins? Before L went
| into the army bought pair in New York
| for 40 They have been adopted for the
| army since and now the bootmakers want
| $40 20 for them The clothing outfit l
| enumerated lasts about year or two years
| and then has to be replenished We try TO
! save it as much as possible by wearing
1 Oh Tty,ifn extensive.
| "The full-dress uniform costs anywhere
| from $50 to 500 and every officer living
! near a big city is compelled to have one.
| Now ,ny salary from the government is
| 81 300 per annum.
'.You can just figure out yourself how
| much I would save If | had nothing else TO
| live on. These other fellows don't like to
! talk You members of Congress have closed
! their mouths right effectuaily. But l don't
| mind saying what i think have
| plenty of money of my own. But the aver
| age officer of the army has no means OF his