The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-23
by +. II. JOHNS.


Guam is in trouble again: no insur-
rection or riot or anything that would
seriously disturb any other section of
the world but an accumulation of a
mass Of little trials and tribulations which
make it necessary for the Secretary of
the Navy to send Admiral Winterhalter
and the Brooklyn to the island.
The climate of Guam is ideal The ma
tives never indulge in any bloody rev.
olutions A man can supply himself
with the absolute necessities with less
effort on the island of Guam than in
any other place on the earth. Since the
island came into the possession of the
United States it has been under the
direct Jurisdiction of the Navy Depart
ment and all OF the Secretaries have
dealt kindly with the officers and men
that have been detailed to serve there
and with the natives. Everything has
been done to make the occupants of the
island satisfied with their lonely eXis-
tence.
Yet some Bernard Shaw will some day
take Guam as an object lesson of the
failure of socialism. He will find plenty
of material for highly interesting prob
lem play in which it will be fully dem
.onstrated that a government can be
too good to q people. A medical officer
of the navy once submitted a report
to the department recommending that
some system be devised by which the
entire population OF Guam could be given
a leave of absence from the island. HIT
had it worked out SO that they could
be taken in small parties without inter-
ferrins with the affairs of the island.
The trouble with the people of Guam
including the force assigned to the naval
station. according to the surgeons re-
port, is that they have too much time
to attend to each Others personal affairs.
They magnify their little differences, the
surgeon insisted, and existence on the
island is much ado about nothing" The
surgeons report found so much fault
with the ways Of the inhabitants of the
island that he was relieved from duty
there and II was never published.
Admiral Winterhalter's task of adjust
ing the affairs of the island is far from
being an enviable one and there is not
much prospect that he will spread con-
tentment among those who are required
to spend their time in Guam,
A new form of pay roll for the organ
lied militia has been issued by which a
complete list of officers and enlisted men
can be kept at the War and Treasury
departments. This pay roll will show the
exact number Of officers and enlisted men
who attended camps of instruction and
will be available for the mobilization of
the guard i'm the event of war.
The roll will be used by the authorities
in determining what organizations are
entitled to pay under the Dick law. 1t
will also be the record upon which the
militia will be paid under the new law,
which will probably be enacted at this
session of Congress.
In circular issued to the War De-
partment 1t is stated that to constitute
a field or camp service of instruction, "
there must be present the designated
personnel required by law. When they
are not present, field or camp service
instruction is not constituted and as a
result the members of that organization
will not be entitled to pay. The circular
goes on to say: 1T therefore follows
that for such days during an encampment
as an organization is reduced below the
minimum prescribed its members cannot
receive pay. Insomuch as unforeseen
, causes are at all times liable to occur
which will cause an organization to be
reduced below the minimum prescribed.
several additional members should be
taken with the organization"
Officers reporting at the War Depart
| ment yesterday were: Col. H. c. Hodges,
First Infantry. and Capt. E. J. Movies,
| retired.
Among the navy officers at the Navy
Department yesterday were; Lieut.
Archer NJ. Allen Navy Yard Norfolk,
and Paymaster B. NJ. Dobson.
While the European war is interfering
with diplomatic receptions at the White
House. 1t has not broken on the social re-