Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-15

~ army &1 ~
The Brownsville court of inquiry is ap-
preaching the conclusion OF It's elaboration
The board has proceeded in its sessions
with a determination to get at the situa-
ton, involving the tragic Incidents at
Brownsville, Tex, leading to the discharge
without honor OF the enlisted men of the
Twenty-fifth infantry. on duty at Fort
Brown at the time OF the shooting up
Of the town. The court has found Il diff
cult TO obtain information which is OF an
enlightening character. There need be,
consequently, no expectation Of anything
sensational in its recommendations.
The army medical authorities are having
considerable difficulty In obtaining the re-
quired number Of female nurses and IL Is
hoped that there will be no objection to the
legislation for the increase Of pay pro-
vided for the nurses in a clause in the
army appropriation bill as IL passed the
senate and which will be one Of the ques-
lions to be determined in conference. At
present the pay of the army female nurse
is $40 a month and II Is proposed to in
crease this to $50 a month, with additional
pay for service up to SOS, after nine years OF
service, with, as usual, the $40 extra for
Philippine island service. This is not too
much when It is considered that a we'll
trained nurse in civil occupation receives
from $50 TO $50 a week. There are eighty
seven nurses now In the service, which is
thirteen short of the organized strength.
1t is hoped to obtain the 100 nurses and
establish, as well, a reserve list.
The present plans for the Joint maneu-
vers Of the regular troops and militia dur
ing the present year at the nine camps
proposed anticipate the assemblaEe Of a
military force Of about IS, 900 men. The de-
tails respecting the commands Of the regu-
lar army taking part in these maneuvers
have been published in these columns and
the militia division of the War department
is engaged in ascertaining which Of the
militia troops will be available for these
exercises. This grand total of 5000 men
does not include the troops engaged In the
coast artillery exercises, for which an
appropriation Of $3.50, 600 with he made. The
largest force will be at Fort Benjamin
Harrison, where the estimate attains the
figure OF about 10000 men, including 5000
militia, with 3,142 regular troops. The force
OF regulars at other places is, approx
mately, as follows: Pine Camp, 2,6Sl;
A~tascadero, 2,424; Chickamauga, 1886; Fort
Riley, ASA; Leon Springs, 2,4S9; American
Lake, 1915; Fort d. A. Russell, 4643, and
the new camp to be located in Pennsyl-
vania, Maryland or Virginia at a place TO
be selected by General Leonard Wood, 1853.
There is probably no occasion for a pub
lie uprising in protest over that particular
invasion Of the national treasury, but it
is, nevertheless, a fitting occasion Of re-
mark that special effort, in the form of
a petition of the beneficiarles, Is being
manifested In behalf Of a measure pending
In congress providing that all officers
and soldiers in the volunteer service of the
United States who were serving In the Phil
ippine islands at the time they were entitled
under the law to muster-out OF service, and
who continued in the service In said islands
after said period and were thereafter trans
ported at the expense OF the United States
to this country and here mustered out,
shall be entitled to receive travel pay and
communication of subsistence from the port
Of en1barkation In the Philippine Islands
to the place in the United States where
their muster out took place, at the same
rate and to the same extent that officers
Of the regular army would receive such al
lowance IL discharged in the Philippine
islands by reason of the expiration of their
term Of service or otherwise, provided that
the actual cost to the government OF con-
veying and subsisting such volunteer Of
Ulcers and soldiers on government trans
ports from the said Philippine islands and
the monthly pay allowed them for the
period while In transit shall be deducted
from the allowance provided for by this
act.
No one is in a position to definitely or
accurately estimate just how much this
legislation would cost If it were enacted.
but It is safe to say that it would be in
the neighborhood Of "a, co., 900 or Sc, 1000, OOO-
a million, more or less, where such an
amount Is involved, is of little concern. The
bill is bolstered up by It's advocates by
the official commentators of the proposed
beneficiaries and the fact that certificates
OF merit and bronze medals have been is
sued to officers and soldiers in recognition
Of the service described.
There appears to be no reason why con-
gress should authorize this disbursement of
a large sum for the purpose contemplated,
Notwithstanding the earnest and eloquent
appeal which has come from various
sources and despite the fact that the enact
ment of the legislation is based on the plea
that 1t c~orrects An injustice to those who
risked their lives In the service of their
country" 1t is assuredly no lack of ma
tional appreciation OF faithful service
rendered Loyalty when congress refrains
from bestowing this g~ratuity.
ii
RAILROADS AND FORESTS,