Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-28
FOR MORE VIGILANCE
AMENDMENTS MADE TO THE
MANUAL OF GUARD DUTY.
Orders Issued by the Army Chief Of
staff as Sequel Of the Browns
Vile Affair.

In conformity with the specific instruc-
tions of President Roosevelt, the officials Of
the War Department are considering the
preparation of regulations imposing addi-
donal duties and responsibilities on the
non-commissioned force of the army, de-
signed to prevent lawlessness on the part
Of soldiers, individually and collectively.
They are based on the recommendations
contained In the report of Inspector Cen
eral Darlington In regard to the riotous
conduct of several members of the 18th In
fantry at Brownsville, Tex. in August last.
Because they did not disclose the identity
OF the rioters all the enlisted men at the
post about 10 in number. were ordered
discharged without honor. The inspector
general asserted in his report that the
failure of justice In the Brownsville case
was virtually due to the lack of vigilance
on the part of the non-commssioned off,
GERS of the battalion.
AS lesson to the army at large he rec
commended, and the President approved the
recommendation, that all non-commissioned
officers be specifically instructed that their
duty does not cease upon the drill ground,
with the calling of the company rolls, max
Ing check inspections and other duty of
formal character, but that their RESPONSE
bilities of office accompany them every
where and at all times; that it is their
duty to become thoroughly acquainted with
the individual members of their respective
units, to know their characteristics; to be
able at all times to gauge their temper in
order to discover the beginning of discon-
tent or or mutfnous intention and to an
t1c1pate any organized act of disorder; that
they must notify their officers at once of
any such condition"
The Brownsville Affair.
1t is stated at the War Department that
II the suggested standard of efficiency had
prevailed at the Brownsville post, it would
nave been impossible for the small body of
soldiers to steal away from the post while
all their officers and comrades were asleep,
to shoot up" the town and then to slip
quietly back into their hunks without giving
the'r superiors the slightest clue of their
movements. 1t is not contended at the de-
partment that all of the soldiers at the
post knew who took part In the midnight
raid into Brownsville, but 1t is regarded as
a moral certainty that some of the soldiers
could have disclosed circumstances that
might have led to the detection Of the guilty
ones.
Seven or eight soldiers were arrested on
suspicion of having taken part in the raid,
put the investigation failed to produce the
least evidence against them, and SO they
were released from custody and discharged
on the same basis as all the other enlisted
men of the battalion.
Amendments to the Manual
Orders have just been issued by the acting
chief of staff making important amend
ments to the manual of guard duty, in line
with the general recommendations of the
inspector general for increased vigilance on
the part of subordinate officers. The para
graph of the manual which requires the
officer of the day to inspect the guard and
sentinels during the day and night as he
may deem necessary is amended so as to
prescribe further that the officer shall visit
them at least once between IL o'clock mid
night and daylight" Another paragraph Is
amended by adding to the duties of the
visit each relief at least once While it is
on post" and to make ''at least one of
these visits between II O'Clock midnight and
daylight