The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-05-13
THE ARMY MANEUVERS.

There has been an immense amount OF
rot talked and written about the army
maneuvers in Texas. and the ignorance
displayed is pitiable. The perfect pro-
priety of the governments action is recog-
nized by everyone having even a bowling
acquaintance with International law and
usage. The mere fact of an existing war
on orr frontier is not only ample ground
for the assembling of an army OF obser-
walton, but imperatIyely demands it for
the maintenance Of the neutrality of our
territory.
The most recent instance Of the kind
now recalled in Europe was in the
Franco German war in 1870. when Swift
zerland modified her whole army. in
Guiding the reserves, and stationed the
troops along her frontier. When BouE-
baki's army. pursued by the Germans,
crossed the Swiss frontier it surrendered
to the Swiss upon demand, because to
have done otherwise would have been an
act of war against Switzerland, and for
Switzerland to have done otherwise would
have put her in the position Of an ally
aiding France in the war and subjected
her TO German invasion. The fact that
we are large and powerful nation in no
wise alters the principle.
AS far as the expense is concerned,
this is the first opportunity to put to the
test the recognized medical staff of the
army. Since the Spanish war for the first
time in our existence as a nation the
medical corps Of the army hos been al
lowed to have money enough for any
thing approaching preparation for any
kind of eyentuality. Ii has, too. been
furnished with funds that have enabled
it to establish a system Of military by
giene and train men to the work.
The result is apparent in the fact that
the sickness is less than one-half of one
per cent Of the force. There has not
been a case of typhoid iE the camp, and
this Notwithstanding the fact that ty-
phoid has universally been the scourge of
armies from before the time of Xerxes to
the present day. The records do not
show that SO many men were ever before
assembled anywhere and such standard
of healthfulness maintained.
To give the medical corps the opportu-.
nifty to. try out and prove its organization
and methods and find its defects is Of it
self well worth all the mobilization will
cost. and will be repaid at every assem-
bling Of soldiers hereafter in the saving of
thousands Of lives from death BY disease,
as we'll as in more than doubling the eff
fectiye fighting force of all future armies,
Tor It is recognized that every sick man
requires two well ones to take care Of
him, so that three are withdrawn from
the firing line for every man sick.
Rev. Vincent Seramuzza, the talented
young assistant priest OF the local Catho-
lie church, delivered a most interesting
and instructive lecture on THE Passion
Play of 0beramergau' at the church last
Wednesday night, in the presence Of
large and appreciative audience. The
lecture was Illustrated with stereopticon
sides showing scenes from the famous
play as presented BY the. peasants Of
0beramersal- An admission fee Of 20
cents for adults and 10 cents for children
was CHARGED, and the NET receipts aggre-
gated in the neighborhood of Sils. This
amount will be donated to The ST. Vincent
School, for the benefit OF which worthy
Institution the entertainment was given.