East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-12-26
LIFE OF SOLDIER
IS BEING DISCUSSED
MAJOR WOOD TALKS ON
COMFORTS OF ENLISTED MEN
The Soldiers Canteen, Uniform, and
Shoes are Principal Points Touched
Upon In Elaborate Report-Would
Have Men to do Non Military Work.

Dropping from the heights of tech
lical maneuvers and the finer points
Of the war game, Major General Leo
nard Wood has submitted an extra
ordinary report dealing with the COM
mon places of the enlisted mans
The report was written by Gener-
al Wood as the commander of the
of the East but was sub
mitted to the Adjutant General, after
he became Chief Of staff and there
fore is taken as criticism by the active
head of the army.
Within the sphere of the enlisted |
man, General Wood in this report |
touches upon three points; the sold
ier's canteen or post saloon; his uni
form-aprticularly his shoes-and the
desirability of establishing general
service corps of men employed to do
all the nom military work.
The crisp and blunt recommended
ton of General Wood that the army
canteen be re-1established is one
with which most every army officer
would agree but not one probably
which all would incorporate in an
official report. General Wood bases
this suggestion upon the assertion
that the canteen is for the best inter-
ests of the army.
Several years ago the w. c. T. U.
and other temperance organizations
succeeded in putting through con-
gress an order abolishing the post sa-
loon where the soldier bought light
beer tobacco and played pool and
cards. Since then the American SOL
dier has gone outside his post when
he wished to buy liquor. AS con-
sequence the gates OF the army posts
are now fringed with a series of green
swinging doors on buildings from
which sounds the discords of electric
pianos and in which the soldier is
not limited to beer but is induced to
drink cheap brands of whiskey.
The soldiers themselves are bitter
ly opposed to these parasite saloons
outside of posts and in some In
stances have wrecked them. Charges
of robbery have been made against
the proprietors of some of them. Many
officers of the army now believe that
it is far better to allow the soldier to
drink beer inside post than to drink
poor whiskey outside General Wood
openly declares himself an advocate
of the post saloon.
Discussing the dress of the enlist
ed men, General Wood lays great
stress upon the need of a more care
full inspection of the soldiers shoes
He goes so far as to say that the
present proportion of i'll fitting shoes
among the privtee soldiers of the in.
fantry branch of the army serious.
lv handicaps their efficiency in field
service.
Reports of feet inspection show {
very large proportion of i'll fittins
shoes. " says Wood, with a resulting
condition of feet which would quick
ly incapaciate these soldiers for dut!
in case of field service.
This is so common an occurrence
as to warrant the issuance of genera
instructions to apply throughout tn,
army to the effect that the fitting o
shoes shall be supervised by an Off
Ger. and that there shall be at leas
one monthly inspection of the mem
feet by the medical officers with 4;
view to correcting such conditions o
unsoundness as exist and calling at
tention to those cares where it i
evident that the mems shoes do no
fit them. This is a subject which de
mands serious and consistant attel
ton"
The suggestion is made in the re
port that a third army reserve b
established composed of men VIII
I, IL 4
the regular service or the militia VIII
could be paid nominal salaries by tn
war department. They would kee
the department constantly advised O
their addresses. The only duty 70
!, these reserves suggested by Genera
Wood is that they attend a yearl
maneuyer. Thus there would alway
be at the call Of the army a reserv
4 body Of men who in the past have re
4 ceived military instructions, freshene
4 up every year with field maneuver
4 Severe condemnation is made {
the too frequent practice of haulin
4 a soldier up for trial for some minc
offense.
4 1T indicates" says the report, "a
4 incapacity on the part of command
side Of command. and results on
too often in breaking down the sc
q respect of the soldier and renderir
= him careless of results. General Woo
- says that he favors the establlshmei
Of a system Of discipline for unru
soldiers looking to their reform as We
Il as their punishment. He objects
the application of the term "convic
'e 20 soldiers who are dshonorably di
,s charged from the service because
y their having been convicted Of fl
IS previous offences which are in maj
s, instances minor offences. This,
3 says. is apt TO destroy in a large me
r. sure cheir future usefulness as eli
y zens
h General Wood recommends fr
m quent travel for field officers in 0
+ der that they may observe the ma
le ouvers OF we'll trained bodies
q troops. He suggests that as many q
of flcers as possible be given an oppo
1s tUnity Of observing the work Of Il
"a European armies.
You needn't keep OH feeling di
: tressed after eating, nor belching, n
- experiencing nausea between mea