The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-02-28
ARMY OFFICERS CRITICIZE
(From Thursday Advertisery

VI Tom HuiShss
Col. J. w. Jones, adiutant general of
the National Guard of Hawaii, was not
slow in responding to the call made in
the resolution by Senator Coke, Tues
day afternoon The colonel, with
stack of reports of inspections made
by United States army officers on mil
itia affairs, during the past two years,
said he was ready for any inyestiga
tion when the senate convened yester
day afternoon.
The senate then learned that Colonel
Jones has had these documents in the
hands of the printer. that full report
will be ready for distribution within a
few days, and to save time considera-
tion of the papers was deferred until
next week.
''I am willing to abide by the result
of fair investigation of the National
Guard affairs of Hawaii said the Off
Ger. "'Nothing win be withheld and
had Senator Coke deferred until my
completed work had come from the
printer, which will be in a few days,
the legislature could have had every
thing which the resolution demands
without the formally of request.
at must be taken into consideration
that in military affairs there is not as
much publicity ae in other departments
of the government; there are many de-
tails, which if given to the public
would greatly interfere with the work
of the organization.
Room for Improvement.
'fThere is plenty of room for i'm
provement in the militia here, but even
J then Hawaii makes better showing
than some of the states, as will be seen
! by the reports from headquarters.
"What is needed is ore attraction for
the enlisted men. We have needed an
armory. The old quarters lacked even
common sanitary arrangements. There
was no incentive to draw the men to
! drill or to take an interest in .plans
we have enforced discipline. AT the
! close of the year ninety-one men were
mustered out of the service. OF this
number sixty-two were discharged
without honor for not performing TWEEN
ty-ive per cent drill duty. The gov
eminent requires at least seventy-fve
per cent drill duty.
! "This will explain in part the lack
| of Knowing made by the five companies
of National Guard in Oahu at the
floral military parade last Saturday
Another condition is that the three
outside companies, making up the regi
ment have nearly as many members as
are now in the other five companies
The full strength of the regiment is
476 officers and men.
"It is not true that the government
has withdrawn its support from the
militia here. )"
In support of this statement, Colone
Jones exhibited voucher invoices dated
February 10, 1919, showing that thu
chief quartermaster had already ship
ped equipment and ordnance supplies tt
the National Guard of Hawaii valued
at $961540. These are expected to ar
rive here soon.
In addition to this aid, the militia re
ceives about $1,000 per year from tn,
Territory.
Army, 0ficers Criticize.
/ Notwithstanding these claims of eff
cheney and discipline, the reports OF
the army officers sent to Washington
some of which were given to Colone
Jones, showed that the opposite condi
tion existed when the guardsmen wer,
taken into the field for maneuver work
The enrampment of the officers anC
non-eommissioned officers held from
May Fl to May 81, l911, inclusive
came in for severe criticism. Fred A
Cook, second lieutenant Of the See0nt
Infantry did not spare comment on con
ditions he found.
The non.eommisaioned officers, abso
lutely unframed In preparing thci
| fund In tha field said cha oflaar xyout.
eat their bacon raw, taking In n goot
supply before beginning a march ant
subsisting afterwaTd on broken brea,
foftened In water which they ate viii
spoon. The aforementioned officers
said this report, had no previous -
pefienee In baYonai instruction aud ~,
not understand "elose ORDER "es
tended order Or ether details. AM
thai he drilling was ragged The lead
en failed - grasp The importance o
idea 81 attach
This report sepelpdes with tha stats
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