Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-01-30

nexcusable, cannot understand why
every man should not have the same
personal pride in looking neat and
clean in a military uniform that he
would have if in civilian dress.
Disciplne-ThiS is the most impOr-
tant part of a soldiers education and
III fact it is the first duty of an en-
listed man to learn to obey unheSitat-
ingly and without question the orders
Of all officers or non-commissiOned
officers who are his superiors in rank
and 10 strictly observe all rules and
regulations for the government of the
several organizations that may be pub
lished by proper authority. To MAIN
tain good discipline II is also necessary
that all officers should be endowed with
dignity, strength of character and care
FIJI attention to the needs of the soldier,
as well as absolute justice in all ques-
tons of authority. In military affairs.
discipline is in no way humiliating; it
is Il simple acquiring of the habit of
honest obedience and does not in any
way involve the surrender of in
dividual rights. 1t is admitted that
pc, feet discipline is very difficult to at
tain in the National Guard organza-
tions owing to the fact that both
officers and enlisted men are employed
in the business world and the time al
lowed for military purposes is neces-
sarIy limited, still am OF the opinion
that Il reasonable state of efficiency
could be reached by Il little more atten-
ton 20 the proper education of the re-
cruit on this subject.
AS rule the men ih their armories
seem quiet. gcntlcmanly and Soldierly
and reasonable attention is paid to
the salute and military bearing, still
there is Il noticeable lack of instruction.
There is also Il great tendency for
famil"rit: between the officers and
enlisted mcn. Enlisted men were fire.
qurn:ly found loafng and smoking in
the officers quarters. and it was very
frequently til" case that privateS were
Knocking ANA with some such familiar
salutltion a1 ''lIello. Cap" These
may seem littIc things. but Il strict OBJ
StrVanr,' Of military courtesy is abSo-
lutciy ncct %si,y to insure proper dis
cipline and one of the first lessons To
be learned by the recruit is the fact
that l,r must give Tie officer and non
commissioned officer the respect and
obedience due his rank and military
position. no matter if in civil life he
may be that officers equal OF even his
superior.
MISUNDERSTANDING that many of the
rooms used for drill halls are much too
small for practical work, the several
organizations are fairly well provided
with Iuarters by the cities 'and towns
where located. A fun description of
ali arm"rics has been contained in the
be repeated. as M changes in armories'
have occurred during the past year.
The armory of Co. G., First Infantry, at
Auburn, is undergoing, quite extensive
interior improvements and when COM
pleted will be one of the most attrac-
tive assembly rooms in the State be-
sides giving improved facilities for the
storage and care of military property.
Care Of I'rOperty-There is room for
much improvement in the matter OF
proper care and preservation of mill
tary property, particularly in the ar
ranGcment ana care Of the individual
lock, rs of the enlisted men. While in
som" companies these lockers are
models: of neatncss and order with a
place. lor everything and everything in
place. ! regret 10 say that in many of
the arnories they We're found in very
bad order ANA far from being clean; in
some instances military uniforms were
found thrown on the floor in the bot
tom of the lockers while the hooks
were occupied by baseball. football or
basketball suits, while in others
found dirty socks, dirty towels. under
clothing. sweaters. boots and shoes and
Il variety of other articles not strictly
belonging 20 the military equipment.
In one ;irmory the dust and dirt in the
lockers could have been Scraped up by
the handful-from all appearance they
had never been brushed out since being
built a great many haversackS were
found to contain broken up fard-bread
and other remnants Of the rationS is
sued to the mon during the Manassas
mancuvers. This should not be al
lowed. because being left in that con-
dition they soon become rancid and un-
fit to again be used for carrying food.
Ovcrcoats and capcS. ponchos, woot-
'
constant use were in some cases found
stuffed U can think of no other word
to express iD into chests or boxes or
packed away without any attempt at
smoothing out, folding or other order
ly arrangement; in some instances
where they were evidently packed
away while damp or wet. I found a
number OF ovcrcoats mildewed and
musty and really unfit for use. While
| realize that in connection with the
care OF property much is expected of
the company commander for very lit
tie compensation, still l cannot help
feeling that this Indifference or neg
lcct of care is not fair treatment to
give the property issued to them for
the use of their commands and for
which they are held responsible.
| am happy to state that the above
mentioned conditions are the eXcep-
ton, not the rule, and these general
observations on the subject are made
in the hope that accountable officers.
where these conditions do exist, will
take the hint and not subject them
selves or their companies to peer
sonal criticism when another inspec-
ton is made.
pool,c ponorc op1 RacOrfIc -IJora