Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-03-26
army OFFICER
PUNISHED FOR
TALKING FREELY

ONO r.. Mlcn3eIIS, LrSI neuteHdut
OF the Sixteenth United States 1nfan-
try at FL Paso, Tex, regiment which
has Its home station at the local Pre-
sidio, is under arreGt at his quarters
in FL Paso as a result Of a speech he
made before the Panhandle Cattle
Association at FL Paso last week, says
the San Francisco Chronicle.
A courtmartial probably will be
convened to try Lieutenant Michaelis.
according TO information which reach
ed the headquarters OF the western de-
partment Of the army. Lieutenant
Michaelis Is so well known here that
when rews of his arrest reached local
army officials II created something of
q sensation.
The speech was delivered on March
4. The following day General John
J. Pershing received an order prohi-
biting army officers from discussing
foreign or domestic military affairs
I'm public General Pershing COM
mands the Preside infantry brigade,
now temporarily on the Mexican Dor.
der, and II is understood that the or
der from the war department-known
as general order No. 10-was issued
largely because of Lieutenant Michael
is utteranees in the Texas city.
Scored Politics. W
II is understood here that in his
speech Michaelis scored politicians In
the Congress and in the senate who
endeayored to place army posts In po-
litical instead Of strategic positions.
Also, the word comes, that he extolled
the infantry arm of the service at the
expense OF the cavalry and artillery.
Lieutenant Michaelis' family is now
CHARTERED at 2I0 Infantry terrace, the
Presidio. Michaelis himself is consid-
cred a gallant officer but one prone
TO interject his personality into af.
fairs .ilhout the service, to the detrf.
ment Of the service. Also In two in.
stances at the Preside he subjected
himself TO court-martial for financial
irregularities and. on January IA, 1914,
received one of the most severe repri.
mands in the history Of the western
department when, a court.nlartial sen
fenced him to be confined to the limits
OF the Preside for three months and
TO be reprimanded. % s5h, RI
Scored BY Colonel. 20 Ws6t - I
The reprimand, issued byocommand
of General Arthur Murray by Colonel
w. A. Nichols, chief Of stan, reads as
follows. II 80 !,
LESS than a year ago this officer
was convicted of failing toc have in
bank sufficient funds to meet three
checks, one OF which (for 5000 he
had Induced a civilian employee of the
quartermaster's department TO cash:
anoth sr Of which flor s100Ds was cash.
ed by a civilian, and the third was
given to pay an honest debt to a firm
Of civilians.
Pursuant to the sentence the fol.
lowing reprimand was published by
the division commander.
The sentence in the foregoing case,
though deemed grossly inadequate, Is
approved. II the conduct Of Lieuten.
ant Michaelis, in the matters which
formed the grounds for his trial,
meets his standard of the strict hon.
esty and frankness expected of all
officers of the army, II is doubtful
whether any reprimand administered
by The reviewing authority will pene.
trate to such degree that it will
ASoSu = ~ dCC DoiACtCutly SCu6igING u
be benefited thereby. The actions Of
this officer in this entire matter, is
not Intentionally dishonest, were so
tainted that his efficiency as an Off.
Ger Of the army and his usefulness in
any position of honor have been
greatly impaired.
Having repeated his offense with.
In less than 10 months, and Increased
the degree Of his offending by perpe-
trating it upon military official, II
would seem that punishment By repri.
mand is indeed ineffective. hut the
fact hat this sentence imposes some
measure Of confinement In addition
gives ground for expecting that the
punishments to follow, in case their
should be future repetitions of his of.
tense, viii measure up to the demands
the service makes upon its officers.
The confinement portion OF thessen.
tence viii be duly carried into effect.
3 - s..E