The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-05-13

WASHINGTON, April 27.-If Con
gress acts favorably on the plans of
the War Department, the articles OF
war which now govern the conduct of
the army in time of peace, as well as
in time Of war, will be completely re-
Vised to meet modern conditions.
These articles have been in operation
for more than a hundred years, and
this is the first time they have been
revised. The work has Just been COM
pleted by Gen. Crowder, judge advo-
cate general, who devoted close study
and several months time to it's con
sideration. The result of his delibera-
lions has been embodied in the draft
of an entirely new code, to which Con
greiss has been asked to give the full
force and effect of law.
In a letter to Representative Hay,
chairman of the House military COM
nittee, detailing the necessity for the
proposed legislation, Secretary slim
SON says that the service conditions
which the articles of war are intend
ed to regulate have changed greatly
since their enactment and that expe-
rience has demonstrated clearly the
inadaptability of the existing code to
present day service conditions
Change a Necessity.
"The necessity for comprehensive
revision" he says, has long been az
parent. Two such attempts at revi-
sion were commenced by the War De-
partment, the first in 1888, and the
other in 1908. The need for it has
heen so insistent that my predeces-
sor, Secretary Dickinson, directed the
present judge advocate general to un-
dertake the labor of revision. That
labor has been painstal1ingly prosecut-
ed, and the results are presented for
your consideration as the basis Of
remedial legislation.
The accompanying letter from the
Judge advocate general to me submit
ting his proposed revision sets forth
very clearly and concisely the theory
of his undertaking and the details of
the suggested changes. deem it ne
cessary, therefore, to invite your at
tention only to the following broad
features of the project:
"The revision was undertaken in the
conservative spirit that legislative re.
forms should be evolutionary. In other
words, that which has successfully
withstood the test of experience
should be retained, and changes and
Innovations should be limited to the
wisdom of experience. AS matter
of craftsmanship, it has been sought
to build on established lines, and to
conform in general to settled admin.
istrative and judicial construction.
Articles Unsystematic.
"The existing articles are notorious.
ly unsystematic and unscientific. In
evitably this condition hampers their
easy and effective enforcement. A
careful classification has. been made,
disassociated legislation in the new
articles of war has been incorporate
therein, resulting in an analytical
precise, comprehensive and easily on
forceable code.
Experience has disclosed a verv
serious evil in the administration o
military justice, owing to limitation"
Of general courts-martial. But the ser
vice needs to go beyond these liber
alizing changes as to the contituenc'
of general courts. AS the judge advO
cate general convincingly shows, ther-
is need of an intermediate disciplin
airy court to deal with that large pro
portion Of cases midway between the
grave ohenses calling for dismissal