The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-10-30
rHU SERVICE PAY BYLL.


Grievances Of the mfanfFy.
To TEE EDrTon or The suN-Sk: Ths
hotter Of Captain johnson Hssood. Coast
Artillery. United States Army, In TRn Sun n
October q on tho subject Of the proposed
service pay bin having nvsn a semi-offoiai
and unweloome publicity to . discussion which
might bsttsr have bssn confined - proper
military channels. it would seem Aecessary.
In Justice 20 Soma part OF the army. TO correct
false Impressions which must arise IN the lay
mind from his communication.
In the first plsoe ~ should be borne 10 mind
that there are on both sides OF the discussion
radicals whose utterances are easily distin-
suishable by the degree OF III considered
anfmosity which they inject into them. Be-
tween these two controversial extremes is q
percentage Of officers OF the dismounted SER
Woe which believes the subject TO be capable
OF dispassionate discussion and is endeavoring
In proper oficial manner TO cause the correc-
ton of an inequality. not contemplated by
law. that constitutes a serious and tangible
M to the integrity and efficiency OF one
branch Of the dismounted service.
IN the heat Of dispute the contending ex-
tremists confuse the main issues Of the aues-
ton In . maze Of elimination and recrtmina-
ton which csnnot fail to defeat the causes
which they respectively sustain.
To begin with. the adberents Of the pro-
poDDu VI pVthASs ~ kSSuAucAhB INV VuNottVbb
Of tho proposal increase Of pay for the COM
missioned ofioer and THAI for tbs enlisted
man. u II true that both are Included In
the same bill. but they are widely separated
issues Of differing Importance.
tn question OF tho pay Of the enlisted man
10 an imperative national issue. one which
must be considered remedially 1t tho earliest
possible moment unless the country dssires
20 faos the approaching dissolution Of Ito reg
..vA. vnlASa.- e~~nA C>-~-N-. ALNs eA--.
can bs no discussion. and IL IN not to be b.
lieved that any oficer worthy Of the title.
with hts intimate knowledge Of service needs.
would willingly ooatemplats opposition OF
any description to so vital a provision. a pro-
p p,s,0e i %h1Ss 4 TO cuY Sis o%n ,n nRnessss ~q This
tonSres.ionai action. and IL may therefore
be diYmissed ~ being outside tho held OF
The Day OF the commissioned ornoer is
another question, Imperative to him but not
OF immediately vital importance TO the army
or the nation. II should undoubtedly be in
CREASED. but not at the expense OF The efficiency
OF ne most numerous y nero :. branch ,s. 81 the the s ei,Cst:
place efidency Of the service above con-
emolument. and IN the light OF Capt. Hagood's
letter they ind themselves falsely placed
IN. the humiiatins position Of pursuing a
sordidly over a few paltry dollars and cents.
The question in the minds Of those who
!. nSs one sh Of s So1i \ s Sr9s cent. sn oa " ca..isIs
promotion. but Of efficiency. ~ may be axio-
mattcally true that nosservice which possesses
which is lacking in self-prde or ssprif dc corps
o8n be maintained at other than an indlffer-
ent standard OF efficiency.
years ono Of growing discomfort. ft has felt
that 70 was not meeting with either material
consideration on The part Of those IN author:
others. In the last seven years 10 has wit
messed the spectacle Of IT per cent. Of the
tsrily choosins' the other branches of the ser
vice, the aggregate Of which Il ~outnumbers.
II now faces an added attraction TO the
IL II strange that It should raise its voice in
respectful protest to authority to rescue Il
from the consequences OF an act by which
further and inevitable injury will be- worked
y is not the purpose Of the writer to enter
They ne are sirssdy well known neSsr's 70 81 The se' army snS' sSSd
are probably Of little interest to the general
public. II ie sufficient TO say that the infantry
ofncers-endes voripe to preserve the integrity
Of the service for which they alone are respoD-
by calling attention officially TO an evil
-. The possieis defea. of the measur. Ia a
busaboo with which the infantry has no oop-
cs shs sn sup "s,ss IL e ,h Ss a SSeposss. 1aT eEly
and spprehensivenese on the psJt Of It's adj
herente have caused a mild hysterla,
This Is tho situation succinctly, The In
fantry has no night with either cavalry or field
artillery. IL h Interested In an abstract uuse-
ton Of possible legislation which would work
an injury real and tsngible-not merely
financial To the bulk Of the oountryis land
force: and its interest Is finding expression In
\ proper official manner.
II Is asked to content itself With che shad-
pwy and unofficial promise of a future read
justment. which those versed In the WAYS OF
le legislative methods may be pardoned for re-
as Of doubtful fulhimcnt. III we are
To credit Congress with n stateemanlke In
In the country'e military future it must
be apparent that IL will be keenly alive to the
urgency Of the situation which will be presented
10 Il at its next session. and undoubtedly IL
ving accomplished this 20 the ostensible
satisfaction Of all concerned, 10 10 probable
II would consent to reopen the subject
some future session merely TO readIust
"a ssryico bro:! end, wrangie,.- as Captain
HArood terms IL In his letter? Experience
would seem 10 indicate that 10 would not.
- the promised readjustment wers q tan
proposition. with some degree Of defn-
tenees and Of probable enactment, the matter
without doubt assume another aspect
Ind one more comforting to the dismounted
Unfortunately euoh assurance seems
acking. NJ. b.. STEWART,
Captain Eighth Infantry.
WEST POINT. October 20.