New-York tribune., 1911-11-19
1t Prescribes the Right and
Wrong Outfit To Be
Worn for Any
Occasion.

''When the army dresses up" soon will
be a motto familiar to each and every
one of Uncle Sans khaki boys at home
and abroad, for the Old Man intends they
shall hereafter dress strictly according TO
Hoylc. y new order has just been sigheu
nv General Wood. at Washington, prescrib-
ing the different uniforms TO be worn oy
all officers and men Of the United states
army on all occasions. from the time the
bugle sounds ''reveille' in the morning
until taps" at night Nothing ike this
now order has ever been issued 10 the
army before, and il is about the most COM
plete thing of the kind ever promulgated
nv any army in the world. Ihe oroer Is
an elaborate affair. so indeNed mat any
one referring TO il can find out at once
what kind Of uniform ought to be worn lol
hny occasion.
Al present post commanders prescribe
txrben fuu dress shall be worn. when "hIe
krousers are preferred, the color OF shoes
h.nd whether a. campaign hat or cap IS TO
k,e worn on formal or informal occasions
i1rnder the new order the number OF occa-
ks,ons when fuli dress is necessary nave
h,een reduced to a minimum, and the proper
k,,un,ber of medals an officer should wear
Hs designated, and he is told where 10 hang
k4bem on his coat. In fact, the smallest de-
lsau of dress for all occasions IS given
lin this new manual of ethics for the army
Uniform orders in the past, II is said
bbave never been carefully or scientifically
sprepared. and as result it has been eX-
ktremely hard 10 find information relative
20 certain occasions. The new order is the
i1irst order of the kind ever published O|
sgas yYar Department, in that it is dou-
III ,psexcd ordeT-that is, the oricr - se'f-
hsndezed and. in addition, will have reg
uIar condensed index.
The order specifies the different parts Of
the uniform TO be worn, all treated IN
natural sequential order. For instance
in handling the subject of insignia. Inc
highest point ON the body where insignia
are worn is on the head-the cap insignia
Next come the collar insignia. then the
shoulder loop insignia, then the sleeve
The whole matter of insignia is treated
In the same order.
There are certain changes made in the
uniform which perhaps to the ummuated
may appear unnecessary. For example
IN tbe past the aiguillettes have always
been worn on the right shoulder. Accord
ing TO the new order they Will be worn
on tb, left shoulder. The reason Tor the
change is that the American army is the
only army i'm the world where the alSull-
lettes are worn on the right shoulder. In
ALI European armies the aiguilettes are
worn on the left shoulder, except in the
case OF aids TO the sovereign, VINO wear
fhrm ON the right shoulder. THIS pTacuce
also obtains in our navy. All officers eN-
cent the aids TO the President wear the
.iruiIIcttcs on the left shoulder. on ac-
couut Of this unusual practice time and
araip officers Of the United States army
while I'm Europe who have worn their al
vuilettos on the right breast have been
mistaken for aids to the President and
have been asked if they were lot such aids.
The nracticc of wearing medals on the left
breast dates back to the days Of knight
hood. wien every knight wore his badge
of l.valty or fealty to his King or soVer-
eirn near his loyal heart
Since the Spanish-American War the pol
scv of tle War Department has been 10
1oavc the question of the prescribed uni
forr, i'm tie hands of post comanders as
much as possible. As result of this there
has been until now a. Uniform without
uniformity. 1t was NOT I'D unusual sight
80 see the various Office. al gathering
of a general nature i'm AN army post wear
sne three or fOJr different uniforms. Under
,bo now order the post commander is di-
rectod 10 prescribe the uniform for every
accession. social. official or Of general
mature. and whatever the uniform pre-
scribed # must be worn by all present on
that occasion.
officials at the War Department in Wash
tngton say that number Of pernicious
practices have been permitted TO take root
among the enlisted men OF the army, such
as the wearing on the coat OF picture
badges, jewelry and other articles that do
not form a part OF the uniform. It is also