Mower County transcript., 1913-07-16
REGIMENT IS
IN BAD SHAPE
Second Regiment Split in Twain
by Feeling Over Unfortunate
Election, Results.
(From Owatonna Journal Chronicle.)


for Lake City to enter upon its annual
tour of camp duty with the Second
Regiment. The company has forty
men in camp, which is above the aver
age of the other companies, this being
due to the apathy eDgendered among
the men by their disappointment over
the results of the recent election Of
officers. Only to the splen-
did loyalty to their organization which
has ever characterized Company men
is due SO good q turnout for camp,
under the conditions.
Letters home from the enlisted men
of the company. who miss nothing Of
what goes on in camp, indicate that the
regiment has been split in twain as by
q giant cleaver, by the feeling aroused
over the recent election. Nearly half
the officers (the elected slate had but
one vote majority privately feel very
bitter toward the combination of ofic-
ers who domineered the election, and
the great majority of the enlisted men
are 0utspoken in their disgust, the dis
affection by no means being confined
to the companies whose officers oppos.
ed the combination. 1t is easy to
understand why this is the case, not
only from the character of the men
who traded themselves into Office but
also from the fact of the pride which q
good soldier wants to have in the
standards of action of his class. The
man who is really soldier and gen.
tleman" scorns anything savoring of
the ordinary methods of politics in
choosing his officers. For instance, in
Company l, no man who was active in
his own behalf would stand q chance
of promotion at the hands of his fell
lows, while the promise of favors and
appointments to influence votes would
be utterly unthought of. Small Won
der, then, that the best element among
the officers of the regiment are disgust
ed over the methods used to boost lot
of incompetent men into high position.
The fact that, along with the colonelcy
which carries with it the appointment
of over dozen staff officers, there were
also the lieutenant colonelcy and a
majorship of two to be filled was what
gave the less conscientious officers of
the regiment their chance to frame
things up" to their own advantage,
practically enough officers to give every
one Of the combination position, pro-
viding only candidate for colonel
lacking enough in ethical feelings to be
willing to promise anyone any position
without regard to his fitness, could be
found to head the combination. Prac.
tically every captain in the regiment
was approached with q proposition.
Those who were willing to sell their
self.respect as officers and gentlemen
can be told from those who were not
by the line of cleavage which now runs
thru the regiment.
It is said that, while the conspirators
are striving hard to re-establish pleas
ant relations between themselves and
the men who sought IN vain to save
the regiment, the latter are declining.
in a polite manner, to have anything to
do with them outside of their strictly
duties. The result is funeral camp
as compared with the good fellowship
aud hearty cooperation which hitherto
has marked the Second Regiment en-.
campments. At that the "insurgent"
crowd, as those who are disgusted with
the present personnel of the field and
staff themselves, are probably having
the best time since they respect them
selves and each other.
The bad effect which the change is
sure TO have upon the Second Regiment
is already apparent in the work of the
organization in camp. When officers
have not their heart in the regimental
work the men cannot be expected to
make any extraordinary efforts. Luck.
lily Company is fine discipline and
strong esprit du corps exempt it from
the general lassitude and the company
is reported to be doing its duty in the
usual snappy, soldierIy manner. The
men are doing it for the sake of the
company, however, and not because of
any enthusiasm for the "Second hand
Regiment" as the regiment is now
derisively termed by it's own members
It's pity that so fine regiment as
the Second, which was undoubtedly
the best in the state and which received
high praise at the Sparta encampment
last year. should be thus ruined by the
personal ambitions of men unfortun-
ateiy holding commissions tho devoid
of the finer instincts of ian officer and
a gentleman"
From Clark, the Piano Man.
I'M