Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-28

Matters Of interest On and bach
OF the Firing Line Cleaned from
the Army and Navy Register.
The quartermaster general OF the army
Is receiving a constantly increasing num-
Der Of applications for furnishing head
stones for unmarked graves OF soldiers,
sailors and marines in the government
cemeteries. The allotment by congress for
this purpose for the last fiscal year
amounted to $4,000 and that for the
present fiscal year is $4,000. The increase
of $4,000 was found necessary in order to
meet the demand for these headstoner,
due to the constantly increasing mortality
among the veterans Of civil and Spanish
American wars.
The recent hearing before the house milf
tary committee Of the q-uartermaster gem
eral of the army was enlivened by a dis
closure" made by Representative Anthony
Of Kansas that the u-uartermaster's de.
partment had purchased 10000 tons Of hay
for use in the Philippine Islands at a cost
of $50 a ton, when the same hay, delivered
In the same place, could have been OBJ
tanned for 500 a ton, a transaction repre-
senting, according to his estimate, a loss
of 100000. General Aleshire was able to
promptly furnish the official statistics
which showed that Mr.. Anthony did not
take into consideration the correct frelght
rate and a few other necessary details, ali
OF which were so much in favor of the
action taken by the quartermaster gem
erals office in this matter that the net
saving in favor of the hay bought In Seat
tie, as against that not bought in Kansas,
amounted to S42;96S on the 1900 tons Of hay.
The good people of Franklin, Tenn, pro-
pose to get all that is coming to them from
the Navy department, provided It entails
no draft upon the municipal treasury or
scares the community by any spectacle Of
art unusual in the neighborhood EXPIRES
sion Of It. All Of which is set forth in the
following communication forwarded this
week to the Nevy department from the
Puget Sound Navy yard:
FRANKLIN, Tenn. Nov. 10, 19O9.-Com-
mandant, Navy Yard, Bremerton, Wash:
Dear Strive have received your favors OF
October 16 and November . OF the present
year, but we had never made any request
Tor the loan of the Figure Head Of the
GOOD ship Tennessee, and as we had no
FUNDS Appropriated for the purpose of paw
ing, freight on the same, we simply re-
malned quiet, However, IL the said figure
head is that of a beautiful woman. we will
TAKE good care Of her II she is sent free.
II 1t is something scary. like a mer-
maid or a sea serpent, we don't want her
trusting this meets with your approval,
l am yours, truly,
e. M. PERKINS, Mayor.
Very little prograss has been made by
the quartermaster generals office in its
investigation OF the adaptability Of alumni
mum, In lieu Of china tableware for the
army. 1t was suggested some time ago that
a mntar1al saving cn,,I5 bo v,oa l. -
weight Of such articles as are included in
this class of military supply by the adop-
ton of aluminium ware. A company in
pennsylvania, which manufactures alumni
num articles, was, last August, asked to
give some information on the practical and
economical qualities of aluminium used I'm
this way, together with prices. No report
has come from the firm. The Information
possessed by the military authorities is to
the effect that, while aluminium is ex-
tensively used for kitchen utensils, it has
not been used to any extent for tableware.
There Is no question that 1t would be a
saving In weight to use aluminium table
ware, but the cost may be prohlbitive.
The suggestion has been made, notably
by the Inspector general of the army, and
by Colonel q. F, Chase, inspector general
OF tne department or the Lakes, In favor
Of the War department taking advantage
Of an old law which provided the premium
Of 50 to be paid any citizen, noncommls-
stoned officer, or soldier for each accepted
recruit he may bring to a recruiting rem
devious. 1t is imagined that this would
have the effect OF stimulating recruiting.
This proposition was taken up a year or
more ago by the military authorities in
Washington and was thrown aside because
1t was then determined that the premium
would have no such effect as increasing re-
cruitment- 1t would simply add to the
expense Of recruiting, since 1t is safe to
say that every recruit accepted would call
for the payment of a premium, and the
opportunity for irregularity would be in a
measure quite beyond control. Recruiting
for the army and navy is less productive in
prosperous times than when there is less
demand for labor. This is a condition
which must be expected and is one not
likely to be overcome by the payment of a.
premium.