Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-07
ARMY GOSSIP IN WASHINGTON.
Current Events Cleaned from the
Army and Navy Register.

ARMY GOSSIP IN WASHINGTON.
Current Events GIeaned from the
Army and Navy Register.
The army signal office has placed con.
tracts this week for enough field artillery
telephones to complete the issue Of thai
instrument to the field artillery branch.
This Is the type Of telephone which has
been adopted after extensive tests in the
field and some of the artillery commands
have already been equipped with the
phone.
The chief signal officer OF the army has
been advised that during the next six OF
seven weeks there is likely to be a trial
Of the dlrigible balloon and the aeroplane,
for which contracts were awarded several
months ago. subject to the result OF n
prescribed test. The Baldwin dirlgible
balloon is expected to be presented for
trial at Fort Myer, Va, in the latter part
Of tho present month, while the aeroplane,
constructed by the Wright Bros, will
be ready for trial late In August. Under
the contract requirement the former
vehicle must make a speed Of sixteen
miles and the latter tina Of thirty six
miles per hour. The course must he five
miles out and an equal distance return,
with flying start. A board of signal corps
officers will conduct the test and one OF
the members will probably accompany the
contractors in the experimental trip.
A plan for establishing a general service
corps for the army is again under con-
sideration In the general staff Of the War
department. A bill is now pending in
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but the measure does not meet with entire
approval. Its principal defect seems to
be that not enough compensation is pro-
vided for the members of such a corps.
1t is appreciated that with the demand for
skilled labor the pay must be at least equal
to what is received by the same class OF
employees in civil life. In the plan which
is under discussion, due regard will be
paid to this necessity. 1t is the intention
to present the draft Of the bill to congress
at the beginning of the next session.
Army staff rides have evidently become
an institution in the military establish
ment. Following the ride of student Of
ficers of the army war college over the
Virginia battlefields there is the ride OF
some thirty-two officers who have been
on duty at the L~eavenworth army schools.
OF this number of officers eight were on
duty at L~eavenworth as instructors
twenty-five as students, and two belong
to the Mexican army who nave been at
tending the Institution. The officers left
Leavenworth on Wednesday for Manassas
Junction, Va, which place they plan to
leave today for a ride which will include
Antietam and Gettysburg. The ride will
last ten or twelve days. The officer in
charge is Major j. F. Morrison.
It Is observed that many recommends
lions are being made involving the dis
charge without honor of enlisted men who
have been convicted by civil courts and
sentenced to terms of Imprisonment. In
most Of these cases the data submitted by
the military authorities having knowledge
of the case is extremely meager. II It Is
possible to do, 1t is suggested, It would be
we'll that those making application for
discharge without honor should go into
details as to the length of service of the
man concerned and the general character
of the offense for which he has been con-
victed. 1t is quite possible to conceive OF
many cases In which the conviction was
for an offense the nature of which does
not necessarily carry disgrace with It. In
such cases, the release from their con-
tract of enlistment soldiers who may
be of further use to the United States
would not appear to be to the best In
terests of the government.
The officials of the surgeon generals
office of the War department are much
gratified at the results, achieved during
the last week, of the notices sent broad
cast concerning the examination OF candl-
dates for appointment as first lieutenant
and assistant surgeon in the army medical
corps. These examinations viii take place
at army posts in the neighbornood of the
homes Of the candidates on August 8, and
those who are found qualified will Join
those who have been Professionally APP
pointed as a result of the examination
recently held. 1t began to look as II there
would be little interest manifested in the
coming examination, a circumstance which
was difficult to explain in view Of the
legislation which was enacted at the last
session of congress for the benefit of the
medical corps personnel. The applications,
however, nave come in an Unprecedented
rate during the past week and there are
now ~eighty-two completed applications,
with the prospect that there will be l5C
candidates authorized for examination.
There are now more than fifty vacancies
in the Junior grade of the army medical
corps and there will be about thirty-two
next January.
"PUNIsHIN' THE INFIDDLE."
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