New Britain herald., 1917-04-20
HAVE NO RIGHT TO
 WEAR ARMY INSIGNIA
Several City Guard Officers Criticized By National
 Guardsmen.

LleuCenantS Ashley J. Grimm and Robert Harris of Company E were much interested in the showing made by the New Britain City Guard yes- terday. but in connection with the uniforms worn by the officers, Colonel w. w. Bullen excepted, they state that the law is being violated. The war department regulations, the officers state, expressly state: Tt shall be un- lawful for any person not an officer or enlisted man in the United States army, navy, or marine corps or any distinctive part of such uniform, or uniform any part of which is similar to a distinctive part of the duly pre- scribed uniform of the United States army, navy or marine corps.'' Fur thermore the law provides that: Any persons who offend against the pro- visions of this section shall, on con- viction be lpunished by a fine not ex- ceeding $500, or by Imprisonment not exceeding six months or by both such fine and Imprisonment"
 According to Lieutenant Griffin's in- depreciation, the uniforms worn by the privates of the City Guard are permissible since the buttons are not regulation army buttons and the hat cords are positively distinctive from the regulation hat cords of the regu- lars. Thus, the private's uniform can- not be mistaken for that of regular. It is to the officers that this article refers, Lieutenant Griffin states. Colonel Bullen, by virtue of being a veteran and retired officer. has the privilege of wearing the insignia de- noting the highest rank he ever held E.. q <1~x sf EIn = galia. on occasions of ceremony, such as yesterday. He cannot however, wear 1t for drilling the unrecognized City Guard, the lieutenant states. Lieutenant Griffin also stated that Captain Piper, First Lieutenant Mar shall Cook and Second Lieutenant Ships were evidently violating this law which would make them tech nically liable to the aforementioned punishment. All three of these officers, the lieutenant declares, wore the gold and black braided hat cords which designate rank in the regular army and they also wore the shoul- der bars which are also a distinctive part of such uniform" The same rule applies also to collar ornaments Regarding the right of a former en- listed man who has been honorably discharged from the service to wear his regulation buttons and hat cord, Lieutenant Griffin stated that the war department provisions are that such man is entitled to wear his buttons and hat cords for only a period or three months following his discharge. Both Lieutenant Griffin and LAeuten- ant Harris state that they noticed several City Guardsmen yesterday who wore either regulation buttons hat cords or other insignia in violation of this provision. The rule governing the officers is that on special occasions they may wear their insignia of the highest rank they have held, while private can wear his insignia for only three months following his discharge.
 The war department regulations further provide that actors and nov ing picture actors, during tneir per formances, may wear any ana all army ihsignias providing the play they are nresentine does not reflect dis credit on the United States arms.