Richmond planet., 1908-05-30

more keenly than the President. It
is interesting TO note how this mat
ter seems TO have weighed upon his
mind and how by successive steps he
has reached this conclusion.
His order discharging the men
without honor was dated November
.. 1906. Congress convened Decem-
ber . 1906. On that day resolutions
were introduced in the Senate au-
thorizing an investigation of the
facts connected with the ARRAY and
the discharge. They led TO a debate
and discussion, In consequence Of
which on the l2th day of December.
1906, the Secretary of War. by direc-
.tion OF the President. issued the fol-
lowing order:
Applications TO re-enlist from for
mer members OF Companies B. c..
and ID. Twenty-hfth Infantry who
were discharged under the provisions
.of Special orders. No. 266. War De-
purtmcnt, November 9. 1906. must
be made i'm writing and be accom-
panied by such evidenced also in
writing as the applicant may
desire 20 submit 10 show that he
was neither implicated I'm the raid
on Brownsville, Tex. ON the night of
August 13, 1906, nor Withhold any
evidence that might lead TO the dis
covery OF the perpetrators thereof.
Later. on the 14th day OF January
1907. the President. I'm special
message TO the Senate, said:
am now satisfied that the effect
q 81.
without honor was not 10 bar them
from all civil employment under the
Government, and therefore that the
part of the order which consisted OF
"a declaration TO this effect was lack
ing in validity. and / have directed
that such portion be revoked.
on the 11th day of March. 1908,
the Committee on Military Affairs
having made its report. the President
said, i'm a special message TO the SEN
ate, that he desired 10 revive the or
der OF December y, 1906. ana there
fore recommended
the passage of a law extending this
time limit, SO far as the soldiers con-
.cerned are affected. until year af-
ter the passage of the law. and per-
mitting the reinstatement by direc-
ton OF the President of any man who
in his judgment, shall appear not to
be within the class whose discharge
was deemed necessary in order TO
maintain the discipline and morale
of the Army.
In harmony with that message four
OF the members of the Committee On
Military Affairs who had Joined in
the majority report Joined in a sup
Elemental report recommending the
passage OF bin providing for the
reinstatement In the Army, but with
out providing for pay in the meantime
or all the discharged soldiers who.
would within a year after the ap-
proval or the act satisfy the Presi-
dent that they did not participate in
the ARRAY, and that they have not
withheld any information with re-
gard thereto.
Later, on the 19th day Of March.
the Senator from Missouri introduced
a bill Is. 6206), which went still fur
ther in favor of the men. and pro-
vided that all who might re-enlist
under its provisions should have fun
pay from the date when they were
discharged without honor.
Prior TO the introduction by ne
Senator from Missouri of S. 62O6. I
introduced, March -. S. 5729. Both
OF these bills were referred TO the
Committee on Military Affairs. Both
have been reported from that con-
mittee adversely. Both are on the
Calendar for consideration by the
Senate, in accordance with their re-
spective merits, without either hav-
ing any parliamentary advantage O.
yer the other. ! speak now in favor
or the passage OF S. 5729.
IL will be helpful to recall in this
connection precisely what these two
bills are.
l ask that they be printed in the
Record without reading.
The VICE-PRESIDENT. Without