The Washington times., 1906-01-02
Would Compel Respect
For American Soldier
Treatment Accorded Enlisted Men Such as
to InCite Officials TO lnaugurate
Crusade for Reform.

For lis Tommy this. an Tommy that.
an chuck him out, the brute!
But it's saviour of is country. when
the guns begin TO shoot"
The treatment of enlisted men in the
regular army has been such as 20 incite
the Army and Navy League to inaug-
urate a crusade for reform. Particular
ly is there objection TO the attitude
of theaters and other places Of amuse-
ment and refreshmert. wherever regu-
lars are stationed in any numbers.
Conditions have been too often those
the private soldiers poet laureate de-
scrlbed in the poem already quoted:
I went into a theater, as sober as
could be.
They gaze a drunk civilian room, but
adn't none for me"
Washington managers state that uni
formed soldiers are welcomed In all
parts Of their houses But IL is not so
/ in most localities where soldiers are
stationed At Old Point Comfort hotels
/ built on Government land, under the
shadow Of Fortress Monroe, will neith-
/ er receive enlisted men as guests or
give them any temporary accommoda-
ions. During the excitement Of the
Spanish war this rule, applied 10 aris-
( tocratic naval reserve organizations
serving as common sailors with the
/ American fleet. nearly resulted in a
riot or two. But the common soldier or
sailor IL used 10 #, yet there is wonder
why desertions are so frequent.
Officer Court -Martialed.
Now. on top of ali this. Lieut. Ray l.
/ Taylor, l25th Company, Coast Artillery,
found it impossible to endure a theatri-
cal performance in a New London the
ater with a sergeant Of his company
sitting in front OF him. Lieutenant Tay-
Tor has been court -martiaIed fCr de-
mandiHg that the sergeant chan se his
seat The excuse OF Ia ylOr " : that
"a soldier in uniform dos not look well
down In front IN a theater." II is worth
notice that this very aesthetic young
officer is no product Of West Point. He
comes from the Michigan Military Acad-
emy. His captain, who reported him
causing the COurt-maTtial. is an aristo-
crat, an appOintee from civil life. -
there is no evidence Of persecution by
/ West Point officers OF Civilian officers
But il is interesting To note that such
\ trea tmeut as the son Of democratic
Michigan accorded 10 q common soldier
disgusted a superior officer from the
only section OF the country which has
ever possessed a caste feeling
The sentiment of army officers geneT-
ally IS one Of deep disgust with Lieu
tenaf; Tia! Tor. II is one OF the Ameri-
can Tomm Us best grounds for protest
against the treatment accorded him by
civilians. that his own officers. who
know him best, treat him as nearly like
a man and brother as regulations and
discipline permit. In a local buriesQut
theater. where smoking and drinking
are permitted. as in London music
halls a private soldier who had alb
soTbed to much stimulant occupied q
seat on the front row during a recent
performance. Beside him sat ma IOl
OF the regular army. and behind hin
a group of officers, in civilian dress. The
private soldier was wing the lime o
his life, beamiug approval on the world
Offering fTecgent ueBestions on TIT
conduct OF the play Then he turnes
to the regular army Officer sitting be
/ side him, and, thriving an arm arOunt
his neck. ne said:
I shay, old pan, mme match
fyot Their Business.
Thereupon the regular officer dui
, down in his pocket produced a silver
? monogramed match box extracted on
! from its contents, 1T it and held tn
light where the sold er could connect
That ended tn IL ciGent. The regula
ohicer accepted It as a matter of course
Tommy" was going wide a bit. but
wss not their bus ness TO make troubl
for him. They were of duty, and s
was he,
It would have frightened that priyat
] sober had ru discovered who were hi
lneighbors, bus he has not learned to thi