Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-18
ARMY GOSSIP IN WASHINGTON.
Current Events Cleaned from the
Army and Navy Register.

Current Events Cleaned from the
Army and Navy Register.
The attempt to enforce the fish and game
laws Of the state of Nebraska upon the
military reservation at Fort Niobrara will
be firmly resisted by the War department.
It has been found that the act OF the Me-
braska legislature ceding to the United
States the jurisdiction of the state over
the tract of land used az a military reserva-
ton cedesr to tho United States the entire
political, Jurisdiction of the state over the
place In question. The authorities at Fort
Niobrara have been informed that the Me-
braska fish and game laws are not opera
tive upon the reservation at Niobrara and
the chief game warden of the state has
been so advised. Any attempt made to
execute the laws within the limits of the
reservation will lead to orders to the war
den or any one else attempting such en-
forcement to desist. II the state ofncial
persists. the military authorities may re-
move him from the reservation.
Brigadier General T. j. Whit. U. 8. A.
commanding the Department of the Mis-
souri,, in his annual report touches upon
the system of training to which troops are
now subjected. He is of the opinion that a
march of twelve or eighteen miles once a
week will not keep men and public animals
In hardened condition and ready for
active service, no more so than formerly.
when weekly marches were not required.
1t is thought the desired hardened c6ndi-
ton can be attained by the daily and varied
drills OF from two to three hours with
changes in equipment, at least one hour
each day being employed in drills under
full equipment guard mount and guard
duty guarding of prisoners excepted) to
be in field kit; drills to be held in all sorts
of weather and seasons of the year.
three-day march with full Equipment once
a month. and a fifteen-day march at the
close of the drift season. or following the
termination of maneuvers or camps OF con-
centration, are also recommended. General
Whit also advocates frequent winter
marches of from one. to two hours with
and without the field kit in order to ac-
custom men and animals to bad and slip
perry roads. General Whit also takes up
the subject of bartering in uniform cloth
ing. He describes the incident which re-
Gently occurred of the soldier who parted
with his shoes for a dollars worth of bar
checks and was content to walk SOCK
footed a quarter of a mile In freezing
weather through the snow. It is felt that
something should be done to prevent this
dies would be the turning in Of clothing
by discharged soldier and the prohibition
of purchases Of clothing by citizens.
The Register prints a long letter, evil
IDENTIFY written by an army officer. though
he hides his Identity under the single ini-
tial "B., in which the writer strongly
argues against promotion by selection In
the army and navy. 81 must say" he
says in the concluding paragraph" that 1t
will be sad day for the service when
every officer must look for his fences to
insure his regular and deserved advance
ment and that 1t will be a sad day for
the nation when II sends to war an army
and navy torn by jealousies and dissen-
sions because Of officers chosen by even
the best method OF selection that it would
be possible to formulate under our system
OF government"
The sentiments of the writer is said TO
reflect that of army ofhcers in general,
the outburst being provoked by the promo
ton OF Captain John J. Pershing to a
brigadier generalship He nils the vacancy
caused by the promotion OF Brigadier Gem
eral' Jesse NJ. Lee TO be major general.
General Pershing stood No. 2Ss 10 the list
OF captains and consequently he is lifted
over the heads OF 81 captains s64 majors
l3l lieutenant colonies and 10 colonels. 1t
has been understood for two years that
President Roosevelt intended to make
Pershing a brigadier general He became
conspicuous in the Philippine service. and.
in the opinion Of the president. deserved
substantial reward for his galiantry. The
suggestion of such a reward as a general
ship caused many protests within the army
and the cry that in order TO recognize one
-
to hundreds OF others. General Perishins
is the son-in-law Of Senator Warrsn of
Wyoming