The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-05-12
WAR DEPARTMENT.
IAKESPRECAU1lON
Suspends 'Mhnchu Law and
Transferring Of Officers and
81. Enlisted Men Here

Word was received at headquarters
Of the Hawaiian Department yesterday
by cabiegram that owing to disturbed
conditions which exist az present, the
war department holds that the provi.
siOns of the acts Of congress approved
August "a, 1912, and April "a, 1914,
regulating the actual presence of Off.
GERS Of the army for, duty with their
respective organizations and their de-
tached service therefrom, are for the
time being imperative. The cabIeRram
also contains the information that the
act Of congress Of March 4, 1915, re-
latinR to the tour of duty In the Phil.
ippine Islands and the Panama Canal
Zone, is considered imperative at pres.
ent. = -, ~ -
'Manchu Law Explained Ito. i.
The first two acts Of congress re.
ferred to constitute what Is known in
military parlance as the HManchu
Law The act Of August "a, 1912,
provides that on and after December
.l5, iI912, in time Of peace whenever
mission in the line Of the army, with
rank below that Of major, shah not
have been actually present for duty for
at least two Of the last preceding six
years with troop, battery or company
Of the service in which he was com
missioned, he shall not be detached or
persisted to DO detached from such
organization for duty Of any kind, and
provides that all pay and allowances
shah be forfeited by eny superior for
the period during which he negieets to
issue or cause TO be issued the proper
order relic wing oficeIs- no detached, or
during the period he permits them to
remain 90 detached. There are certain
details enumerated; In the order to
which the prOyisi9ns Of the act do not
apply. - "f!'H5, IT.. z ~ sI
The second act, Or. the one approved
April 81, 1914, ID practically the same
ID its provisions, but 10 also includes
oficers Of the grade of colonel, lieu.
teHant.coiohel and major. ~
Bads OF Rigid Orders = =, r q
These acts have been made the basis
FOR stringent orders from the war de-
paftment, and their enforcement has
cauAed no small amount of labor and
anxiety on the part of those response.
bic for, issuing orders that take Off
GERS away from their commands for
any kind Of duty. t.,.. -
= The Act Of March 4, 1915, referred
to- In. the message, Is the one under
which many officers and enlisted men
have recently been transferred from
this dhbartment. TO the mainland. and
from the Canal Zone and the Philip
pines to the United States, and pro-
vidhs that ON and after October l,
1918, no ofieer or enlisted man Of the
army except upon his own request,
shall be required to serve in q single
-FOUR Of duty for more than two years
in the Philippine Islands, nor more
than three years in the Panama Canal
Zone, except In, case of insurreetion or
on actual or threatened hostilities., The
war department has extended the
privileges Of the act to cover service
in the Hawaiian Islands, the same tour
heinot prescribed here as is prescribed
by the act for the Canal Zone--thres
years. go, -,
Transfers Arc Suspended
Each month, there are a number of
officers and enlisted men going back to
the mainland, under the provisions of
this law, and the suspension of it at
this time win create a good deal of dis
appointment among those who desire
to 60. It has been the rule to grant
permission for extension of tours when
asked for by officers and enlisted men,
subject to certain restrictions laid
down by the war department and local
officials, so that those who desire to
remain are not forced to leave here,
aud many have taken advantage Of the
opportunity to remain here beyond
their three year tour.
Since the "Manchu Law" is opera.
tive only in times of peace, and the
law prescribing the tour Of duty was
made to apply except in case of in
sprrection or of actual or threatened
hostiiities, the action of the war de.
nartment in holding these actA inopera-
tive at the present time may be sig
hifcant.