Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-27

Current Events Cleaned from th,
Army and Navy Register.

Current Events Cleaned from the
Army and Navy Register.
Brigadier General Charles r. Humphrey,
quartermaster general of the army, has
decided not to apply for retirement at this
time. He will continue on duty as quar-
termaster general OF the army until the
expiration Of his four-year tour of duty.
That period expires next April, when It is
likely that General Humphrey will ask 70
be transferred to the retired list. The con-
tinuance Of General Humphrey on duty as
Quartermaster general Of the army will be
gratifying news TO the service at large.
II is probable upon the retirement Of GEN
eral Humphrey he will be succeeded by
Major c. A. Devol, quartermaster who
last week reported for duty In Washington
as member of the general stan.
The secretary OF war has appealed from
the decision Of the auditor for the War
department In disallowing the claim for
S2,sSS.75 Of Captain Leonard y. Wildman,
signal corps United States army, for per-
sonal property destroyed by fire April IS,
1906, at San Francisco. The auditor dis
allowed the claim because "the loss Of pri-
vate property was not attributable to an
exigcncy Of the military service, but re-
suited from a general disaster, affecting all
persons and property in the locality alike,
without regard to the fact as to whether
they were in the military service or not
hence he is not entitled to reimbursement
undcr act of March g. 1885" The comm
troller In reviewing this decision Of the
auditor holds that the claimant Is entitled
to recover the value of the personal prop
erty lost which the secretary Of war has
Tod 70 I,o
sary for the officer 10 have while in quar-
tiers, engaged in the public service, in the
line of duty, and which loss or destruction
appears to have been without fault or negli-
gence on his part. Under this decision
Captain Wildman was allowed to recover
SSS6.26 OF the amount claimed.
The Postohice department has lately had
before 1t the question of the use of penalty
envelopes by an army chaplain in sending
through the mails publication containing
an appeal for funds with which to enable
his work. Of unquestioned value and merit,
TO be carried on. The publication had to
do. Of course, with public business in the
sense that the assistance solicited was in
tended to be used by the chaplain in his
duly authorized labors described by law
and regulations. It has become a ques-
ton, however whether the free use of the
mails for even this laudable purpose is not
In a measure contrary to law. There is
something to be said on each side of such
a question, II Is observed in the War de-
partment; but, when all things were con.
sidefed' It was decided that the free cir
culation of the printed matter through the
mails should be discontinued and that post
age should be paid. Under those crcum-
stances there could be no further question.
The discharge OIL the colored troops com
prlsing an enure battalion OF the twenty
Ituh infantry mad its eulivening il not
rancorous, aftermath. Inc president is
coming home to tine collection OF pro-
tests and appeals and a heterogeneous as
sortment of criticism that runs the gamut
Of human emotion and expression from
gentle repTOof to- heartless abuse. In the
ringing y. eIkin looms up the shrill cry of
that old stalker OF the wilds, Major Cen
eral Daniel Il. Sickies U. 5. A, retired.
If the alleged remark of Colonel w. l..
PitcA,t, Twenty-seventh infantry, respect
ing negro troops invoked the presidential
wrath with seismic precipitancy, what will
he do to or with the elder officer who
deliGately suggests a likeness between
Rooseveltidn rule and Ottoman oppression?
But nothing will be done to General Sickles,
that storm center of other, and when
need be of present, times Nothing would
please him more than to be rebuked more
or less publicly and more than less fero-
cioysly. The president won't hear the
strident call of Sickles. It won't pay to
bother a one-legged veteran with a record,
a temper and a vocabulary.