The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-12-19
GUARDSMEN KICK
BECAUSE IDLE
Admit Signing Round Robin
Which Made Complaint
Against Food and
Treatment.
TIRED OF THE MONOTONY
Officers Say There Is no Foundation
for Protests, Excepting That
Men Have Become
Discouraged.
TIRED OF THE MONOTONY
[By Webb Miller, United Press Staff
Correspondent

[By Webb Miller. United Press Staff
Correspondent
Ell PASo, Texas, Dec. 19.-By
orders Of General George Bell. .Jr.,
commanding the eleventh army divi-
sion here, rigorous investigation is
under way today to determine
whether discipline shall be admins
tered to five hundred and eighty
guardsmen Of the Eighth Ohio national
guard infantry for signing a round
robin" protest addressed to an Ohio
newspaper against a further stay on
the border and against camp condi-
tions and food.
In official quarters today 1t was
stated tnat the ring leaders or pos
sibly all the signers of the protest
may be subject to mild discipline.
Until all the facts are laid before
General Bell, no action will be taken.
Reports that Lieut.. S. J. Cole. city
clerk of Akron, Ohio, and Robert
Dixon. private of Co-oany q, were in
military custody were without foun-
dation and originated wnen Lieuten-
ant Cole was summoned to aid Col
onel volIrath, commander of the
Eighth Ohio, in his investigation OF
the round robin incident.
An original copy Of the round
robin" with all signatures, is In pos
session of the military authorities to-
day. After 1t was, mailed, it was in
tercepted at Platt, Kansas. Although
the substance of the protest has not
been made public, signers declare
there was general protest, chiefly
against being held up on the border
when their p1 essence was unneces-
sary." The protest also charged that
neglect and carelessness of certain
officers and of the medical corps
were responsible for the death by
pneumonia of Rodney Lapp recently
and included complaints against con-
ditions at the camp and the food.
The entire camp Of the Ohio
guardsmen is stirred by the investi-
CATION and meeting of officers has
been called to discuss the situation.
Military officers are disposed to re-
gard the incident in the light, of
prank, led by discontented guards
men, with nothing in it of a mut!n-
GUS nature.
whether any action follows, de-
pends upon the results Of the inves-
tigation," said General Bell today.
"The incident itself is Of no import
ance. but we cannot encourage such
a procedure. The preliminary inves-
tigation shows absolutely no founda-
ton for any of the charges contained
in the protest! 1t is the work OF &
few trouble makers. The food and
camp conditions at the Ohio guaeds-
mems camp are as good as any Oil
the border"
In the camp of Company G. where
the protest originated, the men who
signed the petition discussed the
complaints, but none wished his
name made public. Sure, | signed
because I'm tired of staying here fo-
no reason" said one. "Cond!..on3
are all right. but want to go home"
"A,though lumber has been stand
ing on side tracks here for weeks,
II Is Just being issued to u.s. SAID
another. "Our tents are cold ana we
have not sufficient blankets.
I'VE had soured hash for break-
fast" another declared
"Medical officers give you pills for
everything from sore feet to colds. Ia
he wiling to stay If we were going
TO fight, but it's this monotony, SAID
another guardsman.
Others admitted they were salts
fed with conditions, but signed the
protest because they were requested
by others. so
Col Edward Vollrath stated today
that the charge that the death OF