Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-21
RIGHTS. OF SOLDIERS
GEN. SICKLES GIVES HIS OPIN-
ION ON THE CASE.

A dispatch from New York says: Among
the retired army officers who object to the
treatment accorded q battalion of the 25th
Infantry Is Major General Daniel e. Sickles.
who today expressed the opinion that
President Roosevelts method Of discipline
was unjust and prejudicial to the good Of
the service. He declared that he believed
the discharge OF the companies without
trial had no precedent, and he doubted -
the loss of civil rights thereby was legally
accomplished.
THE foundation Of all discipline. either
in the army or navy" said General Slckles.
is Justice. You cannot maintain discipline
without feeling among the men that
whatever happens they can expect justice.
fair play, square deal.
Il am somewhat reluctant to express
myself In this matter. because I do not
know that l am IN possession OF all the
facts, l am only going by what l have
read in the newspapers. But as I under
stand 1t. a disturbance occurred at the
post where these men were stationed. In
qufry failed to reveal who was. responsible
for 1t, and because the men refused to tes-
tify against each other the entire body of
them was ordered out of the army without
honor.
This country is not Turkey. 1t is not a
place where. If trouble occurs. everybody
in the vicinity is clapped into jail and the
heads of fifty men are cut off in order to
be sure to get the head Of the guilty one.
1t is not probable that all these soldiers
were concerned with the disturbance. 1t Is
not likely that all even knew about 1t.
Effect on the Men.
Arbitrary and unjust action in the army
Is not only prejudicial to the discipline and
efficiency Of the men in it, but 1t has bad
effect on enlistments and Refreshments.
There is no consumption in this country.
Men enter the service of their own free
will. and you are not going to get desirable
men to go in or to stay in unless they feel
that they can get fair treatment there.
Any other course encourages assertions and
has a bad effect on enlistments and re-en-
listments"
Gen Sickles' attention was called to the
statement made yesterday by Acting Sec
rotary Of War Oliver. in which the latter
was quoted as saying that the reason for
ordering the discharge OF the troops was
not because they refused to give informa-
ton against one another. but because their
actions had shown that they were danger
GUS to have in the service. Gen. Sickles
did not see how this could be asserted of
the men as whole, any more than that
their guilt could. - 8 Z. - 49, :,
From al! I:can hear these men had a
good record OF service ana good record
under. fire.. he said. The negro. as a
rule, makes good soldier. That has been
the experience Of England, and 1t has been
ours"
Not an Autocracy.
When asked what could be done for the
soldiers already discharged and for the
others in case the order is carried out until
all have been sent from the army. Gen.
Sickles replied that they might be allowed
to re-enlist without prejudice to their prev
ious service. This would put them back
again upon their old standing
''In case that is not DONE can any legal
steps be taken to restore their civil rights?"
the reporter inquired.
II have grave doubts whether the de-
privation Of a mans civil rights merely
upon executive order land without trial Of
court-martial, Is legal" was the answer.
This Is not an autocratic government like
Russia, and We have, so far as know, no
precedent for wholesale discharge like
this without trial.
REWRITING to his own experience in the
army, he said that he always tried to act
so that every man might feel that he could
look up to him as a protector against
tyranny from under officers, and final
arbiter of justice.
"And that is how I would have the SOL
diers look up to the President, concluded
Gen Sickles. Not as a doer Of injustice,
but as one to whom they could look as a
protector against injustice, prejudice and
excitement