The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-29
BY r. Il. JOHNS.

William L. Clark, of Seattle, Wash.
is in the National. Capital to plead the
cause Of the enlisted man of the army
He represents no organization of en-
listed men, as no such organization ex-
lists. but is as deeply interested in the
cause of the noncommissioned officer
and veteran private soldier as If he were
their paid lobbyist.
1t is doubtful IL any one out OF the
service is as well acquainted with enlist
ed men and their needs and desires as
Mr.. Clark. For fifteen years Mr.. Clark
has been studying the conditions of en-
listed men in the regular army. He has
done this by becoming acquainted with
the men at Western army posts and
they have come to regard him as their
personal advisor and champion. Mr.
Clark has prepared brief, setting forth
the changes that he thinks should be
made in the policy OF the government
towards enlisted men, which he will sub
nit to Congress.
you read great deal in the papers
about the i'll treatment of the enlisted
men by officers and the class distinction
in the army said Mr.. Clark. but as
a matter of fact it is the people and
Congress that have mistreatcd the en-
listed men of the army. l have not
heard much complaint from the against
the officers of the army. AS a rule the
best friend of the enlisted men or the
noncommissioned officer is his COM
mander. II an efficient enlisted man has
any sickness or trouble in his family at
home he generally goes to an offtcer for
assistance and counsel l know of
great many instances where through the
influence of officers enlisted men have
secured excellent positions after they
left the army. In a good company the
relations between the captain and the
first sergeant are like those between
father and son.
1T is not the army that needs re-
forming in this respect. but the laws
which discriminate against the enlisted
men. Beginning in 1906 Congress has
been enacting legislation. the effect of
which has been to drive thousands of
high-class enlisted men out of the army.
In its policy of economy it has been re-
ducing the allowances and privileges of
the enlisted men.
For instance. while Congressman are
allowed 10 cents a mile for transporta-
ton, the enlisted men of the regular
army have had their allowances cut to
2 cents per mile. The navy has an al
lowance of 4 cents a mile for enlisted
men and this accounts in a measure for
cruited up to its authorized strength. The
base pay of SIS a month is high enough
for enlisted men for serving their first
term, but there should be larger allow
ances for nonCommissioned officers and
higher class private soldiers. These are
the backbone of the army and must be
used in training citizen soldiers under
any military policy that is adopted by
Congress.
"The provision in the bill recently
passed by the Senate which provides for
the appointment OF an enlisted man to
West Point is legislation along correct
lines. There ought to be some law by
which the enlisted men can hold COM
missions in the volunteer army that
might be raised in the event of war and
at the same tirt' continue in the. army.
There is some splendid material among
the enlisted men of the army. In pass
ing the bill pending in Congress now for
reorganization of the army, l hope
that it will be so formed as to encourage
high class young men to enlist in the
army"
w. l.. Saunders. member of the naval
advisory board, says the engineers Of
the country are already taking steps
to organize the nations sources be-
hind the army and navy. The differ
ent engineering societies have opened
headquarters in New York without any
expense to the government and have
employed a force of experts to work
out the preliminaries of this organiza-
| ton.
Our plan," said Mr.. Saunders, lis
| to place in the hands of every large
concern data as to what the govern
ment would need in the event of war.
We intend to place at the disposal of
the government information as to what