The Washington herald., 1916-06-01
The Herald's Army and Navy Department
Latest and Most Complete News Service and Personnel Published
in Washington.

Judge Advocate General E. H Crowder
of the army, Yesterday ordered a post
ponement until June ). of the courtmar-
tial of ll6 members of the Texas Ma
tional Guard. who refused to respond to
the recent order mobilizing the Texas
militia for border duty with the regular
army.
Gen. CrOwder's object in postponlng the
date was to give Maj. Blantou WInship,
/. S. A. who will preside over the court,
time to reach the scene of the trial. Maj.
Blanton is at present attached to the
Judge Advocate Generals office here, and
it will be impossible for him to convene
the court before June :.
The army is particularly interested in
the courtmartial of the guardsmen, which
will be held at san Antonio. Tex, the
headquarters of the Southern division.
Gen. Crowder yesterday stated that there
was no record of similar cffense since
1870.
Another interesting feature OF the
nourtmartial of the Texas guardsmen is
the fact that each offender of the ll6
may be tried separately. The only way
in which this can be obviated and joint
trial obtained. will be to get the consent
of the accused or to bring evidence to
show that their refusal TO join the ColOrs
when called was the result of concerted
action
There is little likelihood that the evi-
dence will show such an agreement. as
the superficial features of the ca Sc seem
to indicate that the men refused to an
swer the mobilization call without the
knowledge of each other. 1t is regarded
as unlikely that the men will agree to
joint trial, unless it can be demonstrated
that it is to their interest.
American military observers abroad are
getting better treatment from the re-
spective European belligerents than they
received at the outbreak OF the war. in
the opinion of naval and army officers.
During the first months of the con-
fict, it is said. the high commands Of
both sides were so new to war that they
adopted many precautions which were
entirely unnecessary and in some cases
absurd. American officers slightly re-
sented this refusal of European com
manders to permit them to study actions
in detail, as it was fresh in the minds
Of the Americans that foreign military
observers were most cordially treated by
american commanders during the war
with Spain.
After two years, however, war has be-
come a cold, Unconditional business and
officers involved in the combat are be-
coming more or less Jealous in protect
ing their interests. The effect of this
attitude has been to permit greater free
dom to the observers of the United
States. now attached to the various con-
tending forces.
The Army General Staff announced yes
terday that Gen. Frederick Funston. in
command of the border expeditionary and
patrol forces has selected two batteries
of field artillery from the various pro-
tected points along the United States
Mexico border and has concentrated this
artillery force at Douglas Ariz., in case
it should be Immediately needed.
In making this announcement the Cen
eral STAFF also issued a surface" expla-
nation. to the effect that it was bad tao
tics to scatter field artillery over a large
territory, and that artillery was practical
ly useless for patrol work anyway. It
was explained that concentration at
Douglas would give Funston an immedi-
ately available artillery unit, should Per-
shing's line of communication be threat
ened
On the other hand, army officers shared