Honolulu star-bulletin., 1917-12-31


sufficiently veTsed in the Law regard
ing the payment OF certain companies
in which there was some question as
TO whether they were entitled to
either Federal or Territorial pay, and
a definite decision should have been
reached before the. troops left the
camp, and the company commanders
notified accordingly. The absence OF
definite decision on this subject
caused dissatisfaction and was harm
ful TO military discipline.
TRANSPORTATION Within Camp
This was found TO be inadequate
and. in the opinion Of some officers,
the wagon trains should have been
taken out in order to eliminate this
difficulty. In many cases it was neces-
sary for men TO carry heavy equipn ont
such as field ranges, tentage and fire
wood a distance Of several hundred
Yards The Chief Quartern'aster eX'
plains that it was not possible to OBJ
tain additional wagons and trucks.
Equipment
The board finds that the troops were
not sufficiently and properly equipped
for a fifteen-day encampment The
majority OF the enlisted men had but
one pair of breeches and one pair of
shoes; and some had but one shirt.
There were not sufficient mosquito
bars to supply the entire command.
Much dissatisfaction was caused prior
TO and during the encampment over
the fact that there seemed to be lack
Of cooperation between the Quarter
masters corps and the regimental sup
ply officer OF the 1st Regiment. 1t ap-
pears to have been difficult to obtain
equipment on requisition, at times.
The testimony in one instance dis
closed the fact that a reQuisitiOn for
firstaid packets was not filled as. in
the personal opinion of the Quarter
master Officer in charge, the men
might not take proper care of this
equipment. The testimony shows that
proper field equipment was not issued
on the direct order Of the Militia Blu
reau. In another instance it was shown
that 500 rifles we're fequisitioned for
and, while there were more than this
number on hand, but 240 were issued,
and it was impossible to obtain the
balance. At least one company went
into camp without sufficient rifles.
brigade mGSS anu CNCHdH9C
1t is generally conceded that the
mess for officers of the brigade was
unsatisfactory from the standpoint of
the service and the food served, which
was a cause of dissatisfaction to such
an extent that large number of the
officers discontinued their participa-
tion in the mess at an early date, pre-
ferring to have direct supervision over
this mess. The sanitation of the mess
was such as to cause two strenuous
complaints to be registered by the chief
medical inspector, with the result that
an ultimatum was issued by him to the
effect that If sanitary conditions were
not Immediately improved the cater
ing privilege would be rescinded.
The camp exchange privilege was
authorized by the brigade adjutant,
whereby the caterer received the priv
ilege Of operating camp exchange on
the basis Of 109o of the gross receipts
Of the exchange reverting to the Ma.
tional Guard of Hawaii. In the opinion
OF the board more advantageous ar
rangements could have been made and
more profit accrue to the Guard had
the privilege been advertised and
awarded to the highest responsible
bidder. 1t has come to the attention
of the board that the entire proceeds
derived from this source were to be
applied to the payment of debts of the
Post Exchange, of the National Guard
sArmory, Honolulu, in which event the
End Regiment, although participating
in the exchange, would receive no di.
rect benefit from the profits there.
from. 80
Camp Commander
. For approximately three months
prior to the encampment, the camp
commander was a student in the Re-
serve Officers Training Camp at Seho-
field Barracks, T. H. He still retained
command of the brigade and did not
delegate authority, hence the admins
tration of his office was performed by
the brigade adjutant, who was required
to report and confer with the brigade
commander, in many cases with loss
'of time, which conditions hampered
necessary arrangements. This was
particularly true in the case of the
necessary preliminary arrangements
for Camp Liliuokalani, and there is no
doubt but that the discipline suffered
thereby.
The board finds that the brigade
commander was officially relieved
from his duties as a training camp
student on or about November 8, 1917,
for the specific purpose of assuming
command. of Camp Liliuokalani, and
Notwithstanding the fact that he was
relieved from his training camp duties,
hn continued IN M rfininofo in tho On
tivities thereof.
From the testimony given by quail.
fled officers, we find that the camp
commander was derelict in his duties,
and that 1t vas not proper for him
to attend the training camp under the
circumstances.
The testimony shows that out of the
% days of the encampment the camp
commander was present in camp, as
follows: