Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-04-17
would not have time. because

senate authorities stopped printing
copies of the amended measure. There
are only few copies in existence to-
day in printed form. The demand for
copies of the bill has been enormous.
Army officers and civilians all over
the United States have written to con-
gressmen for copies of the amended
senate bill, but there were only few
to be had.
Why Measure Was Not Printed.
The interest in this army measure
is tremendous. The reason that sena-
tors would not authorize the printing
of the measure in large quantities was
that knowing the bill could not be
considered. they did not care to spend
the money for printing something
which might be entirely changed In
form as soon as the extraordinary ses-
sion began, and new army measure
was proposed.
All appropriation bills must origi-
nate In the house of representatives.
So 1t is that the present house must
recast the army BILL or at any rate re-
pass it In the form in which it was
passed at the last session. Great In
| terest centers in the action of the
house In this matter. It may be that
the members will agree to tack onto
the bill the amendment which Senator
| Chamberlain put on it at the last ses-
| sion and which provides for universal
military training.
In war crisis call for 100000 vol
unteers means, of course, that the
American people would have a half
million men in training in compare
| lively a short time. 1t is being urged
by some members Of congress that IL
this shall happen there will be no
necessity for the passage of univer-
sal military training measure for an
| other year. because the men for whose
training it would provide for the first
year would come under training any
way through the operations of the call
| for volunteers.
| It will make little difference proba-
bly,, so far as debate Is concerned,
| whether the house actually presents
universal military training measure
at this session, for the interest In the
subject is alive. The senate is certain
to take it up and debate it. The whole
country is interested and letters for
and against the proposition are COM
ing by hundreds in every mail.
Major General Woods New Command.
Which will be the more important
military command, the department of
the East. which is being delinquished
by Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, or the
department of the Southeast, of which
the transferred major general is to
take command?
Leonard Wood has been outspoken in
his demands for preparedness, and at
times the spirit of his words have
| seemed to be critical of the administra-
ton. The best military opinion seems
be more important than the one which
he has relinquished. He will have
charge of the department which in
cludes the southeastern states with
their coast lines. If the United States
ever is to be invaded by the armies Of
European nations the invasion will be
attempted by way of the country over
which Wood will exercise military con-
troll. 1t is possible, therefore, that the
general has been promoted rather than
denoted. There is a sharp difference
of opinion about the matter, however.
Bells Long and Brilliant Career.
Some second kipling should write
of one of the deeds of j. Franklin Bell.
The general went over to the Philip
pines as a first lieutenant of the Sew
enth cavalry. He had not been in the
islands long before he was put in COM
mand of a volunteer force composed
almost wholly of regulars whose terms
of enlistment had expired, but who
were willing to take on a short term
of duty to help In the clearing up of
the work which they aided in starting.
Guides led the force to the vicinity
of a Tagalog village. Night fell and
the Tagalogs were all unsuspicious of
the approach of the white enemy. At
three o'clock in the morning, when
sleep always hangs heavy on the eyes,
Bell led his men toward the village.
The Tagalogs had sentinels posted
along an outlying line. After the man
ner of the people of the plains the
soldiers crept silently between the
pickets, only one of whom was vigilant
enough to detect the presence of the
enemy. He was silenced before he
had q chance to raise cry or a shot.
Village Easily Captured.
Straight into the village went Bell
at the head of his men. Dawn streaks
were beginning to show in the sky,
but the warriors were asleep past the
ordinary waking, for were not the SEN
tinels posted, and were they not bound
by every tradition of tribal honor to
be awake and watchful?
General Bell had given his men or
ders. The village was cordoned with
troops and there wasn't a mousehole of
escape. Bell has whimsical humor.
In the very heart of the Tagalog viii
lage was an old muzzle-loading brass
cannon, a trophy taken by the Taga-
logs from the Spaniards of another
day, and which the natives were hop
ing to use against the equally hated
Americans. Bell detailed a loading
party of three men. The three be-
came boys again and they rammed the
piece full of powder and grass wadding
after the manner of the loading of a
Fourth of July cannon on the village
green in the home land.
The light of coming day was strong
enough, for the conducting Of opera
tons. A lanyard was pulled and the
brazen piece roared out it's reveille.