The Washington herald., 1916-07-25
The Herald's Army and Navy Department
Latest and Most Complete News Service and Personnel Published
in Washington
in Washington.

In the rush to get troops to the Mext-
can border, the Southwestern railways
have clashed with the law which prevents
train employees from working more than
sixteen hours a day.
Col. H. L Rogers. quartermaster OF the
Southern Department, has reported to
the War Department that Texas railroad
officials have advised him that rather
than work their men more than sixteen
hours and thereby incur a penalty Of 500
for every such case, they will stop trains.
side track them and leave the matter to
the military authorities.
The natural expectation in such a case
is that the military authorities will order
the commanding officer Of the train to
take charge OF the crew, thereby absolv-
ing the company from all blame II law
violations result. Inasmuch as a state
Of war. which would throw an entirely
new light on the legal phase Of this ques-
ton. does not exist, the railroads are
anxious for a ruling.
The War Departments position, ac-
cording TO officers, is one whereby the
present emergency in Mexico may prop
erly be regarded as a time Of threatened
war-s time that would Justify the Presi-
dent to call upon the carriers to adopt
every expedient under their control TO
move military traffic.
On the other hand II is considered
neither lawful nor necessary for the mil
itary authorities to take the action that
seems to be expected of them by the
railway companies. The Interstate Com
merce Commission, II is said, has sus-
tained the opinion Of the War Depart
ment and 1t has been made known that
the government will not prosecute car
riers where 1t is clearly shown that train
crews worked over sixteen hours a day
in the service Of troop movement
Quite regardless Of the objections
raised by Senator Weeks. in the de-
bate on the naval bill, the Senate has
decided to create a board Of visitors
at the United States Naval Academy.
which will be composed Of seven mem
bers. appointed by the President-four
Senators and five Representatives
who will be called upon to attend the
annual examination at Annapolis.
The date OF the annual visitation Of
this body to the academy will be set
by the Secretary of the Navy, in or
der that the boards visit TO the acad-
emy can be timed so that the board
may see more of the actual workings
OF the institution than would be pos
siole at graduation week.
Senator Weeks. in his objections to
the visitation board plan. declared 1t
was entirely worthless. as former
boards had never furnished Congress
with any data that was helpful in the
deliberations OF that body. Although
the appropriation will be only $4,000
a year, Mr.. Weeks declared It was
a foolish waste of public money and
a foolish attempt to correct any poll
cies or methods that might be chang
ed II they were inspected by proper
officials"
Naval officers believe the most ef-
feCtive organization of such a board
is board made up of members of the
House and Senate Military and Naval
Committees, who have to do with the
appropriations for institutions OF this
kind, and who. by personal observa-
ton, would be aided in determining
the needs Of the academy.
A part of the recently purcha ed
10000 new army emergency rstions
will be sent to the troopers in Mexico
and Texas. with instructions that the
use of these rations in the field shall
furnish the subject of a later report
by officers to the War Department
1t is not believed that the reports
of officers will result in any partiCu-
lar change In the ration, but 1t is de-
sired to obtain service opinion of this
emergency food.
There continues to he some question in
certain quarters of the Army as the real
necessity for this new form OF military
provision. In recent years, methods of
subsisting troopers separated from their
garrisons have been greatly improved
notable among these new methods be-
ing the rolling kitchen, several of which