Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-08

I'M partmeht since Tue u'sN VI '''S
v Ciyll war has there been such 4
storm Of protest as that induced
by the action Of the president IN as-
sorting his authority as commander Ia
chief Of the army and dscharsing,
without honor every enlisted man Of
companies V, G aud D Of the Twenty
nth infantry for some time stationed
at Fort Brown. Texas. says Henry Bar
rott Chamberlain In the Chicago Rec
ord-Herald why he did not go fur
Their and order every commissioned off,
Ger before court-martial Il some
thing not clearly understood by those
conversant with the regulations; the
presidents service as q lieutenant col.
onel and afteTWard colonel If vOlun.
teers in command OF the First United
States volunteer cavalry should have
suggested this course.
on The 18th OF last August number
of colored soldiers attached TO the three
companies visited Brownsville at mid
night and proceeded to shoot up" the
town. Their grievance appears to have
boon that certain bartenders refused 10
serye them liquor az the same bars
over which drinks were puryeyed to
whites and la retaliation they decided
10 rough house" The town. In carry
ing out their purpose they shot indis.
ciminatoly. one bullet entered the
window OF a house and killed an occu-
pant; another seriously injured the
chief Of police, the townspeoplo were
frightened and stGmpedcd. the officers
NJ the post appeared To have lost con-
troll OF their men ana tho post COM
mander was unable to apprehend those
who participated IN the riot. II was
an evidence of laxity Of discipline to
which no plea OF justification could be
entered; II Indicated lack OF care on
tho part of non-commissioned officers.
all Of whom were colored, and Grim
inal inattention ON tho part Of commits
stoned officers. all OF whom were and
are white.
The inability Of the post commander
10 properly punish the offenders result
cd In the matter being brought 10 the
attention Of the president aud the de-
failing 81 Colonel Darlington Of the in
spector generals department 20 investi-
gate. Complying With an executive or
der he proceeded to Fort Brown and
Brownsville, hut was unable 20 discov-
cr the actual offenders. The men of the
three companies refused to testify
against their comrades. Finally the in
speeding officer reported recommending
tho discharge, without honor, Of every
enlisted man Of the three companies.
With the further provision that amy ana
all Of them be forever barred from
holding Office in the service OF the
United states. civll or military, and re-
fused enlistment IN the army or navy.
This. of course. affected men who might
otherwise apply for admission in SOL
diefs homes OF be entitled to pensions
FOR long aud honorable service.
II must be understood that all OF the
men Of the dlsgrace1 companies were
not guilty. The majority OF them were
~ barracks al the time Of the trouble.
Some Of them were on detached SER
vice. q thousand miles away from the
scene. but all suffered the penalty
equally, II IL this phase OF the quos-
lion, utterly repugnant 10 the civil or
criminal law, which has caused the
present agitation on the part of q large
proportion OF the colored population Of
the cuntry and 10 their support has
come the influence OF many whites. all
insisting that the measures taken
against the colored soldiers were too
drastic. unfair and altogether unreal
sonable; that the innocent should not
be- made to suffer with the guilty and
that the individual and not the COM
pany should be considered the unit
when such punishment Is melted out.
The president signed the order dis.
charging the men OF the three compa-
mics on the night Of Nov. g. Because OF
the storm of protests which came to
The war department, Secy. TAFT sus-
pended the operation OF the order until
he could communicate with the presi-
dent, who was then on his way to Pam
anna. The reply Of the commander In
chief required the secretary 20 promul-
gate the order and the men were dis
charged The presidents views were
clear The men had stood together and
refused information necessary to the
apprehension OF criminals. They struck
at the very being Of military discipline
and Justice. In the militia service
an officer or enlisted man must answer
tuthfully. II az all, If he remains silent
he knows that the result may mean his
severe punishment, The theory of the
military service considers the entire
army FIRST, the individual last The :
principle involved Is vital, Color has
I
done the same thing they would have
suffered the same penalty. The action
OF the president is by no means new,
but II is the first time that so whole
sale an order has been issued. There
eau be no democracy In the army. ITS
discipline must be rigid, II the force Is
90 be- effective. The first duty az the
soldier Is obedience lnst6nt and entire.
There Is no premium upon "tattling," as
some, unfamiliar with the service, an
year to think A soldier Is as much
Obliged 10 answer truthfully the cues
lions OF superior as II the witness un
der oath IN court. Refusal IN either
case must bring punishment. else the
military ard the judicial systems viii
fail
IL must be admitted that the entire
allilr was bunged. Had II been han
died properly, had the officers been en-
cieut and properly alert, II would not
have happened This Is shown lu a
statement by Col Darlington, who SAYS
ihat q FIRST sergeant Went to him pri-
Nattly and begged for consideration.
stating that he could get no lnforma-
non, although he had been e years I'm
ne service. That such condition
could be possible as q sad commentary
upon the effectiveness Of the non-com-
missloned men and casts discredlt upon
The white officers in command. The
non-commissIoned officers are the back
bone OF the lighting force. and the re-
sponsibilty for their creation tests IN
on the company and regimental com
manders. Under all the circumstances
y general court martial seems to be the
thing most needful IN the Twenty-nfth
Infantry
Inat tho army Itself fears the result
Of the presidents order is evidenced bv
an editorial in the Army ana Navy
journal of Nov ~ "a which II says:
The action VI the president In deal
Mg WIN Lho mngrn -nlll.rs Of The INV on.