The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-16

ruaTy, 1907, which held, in effect. tina
a general should be furnished IL rooms
lieutenant general 10, major genera
nlne, brigadier general eight. colone
| seven, lieutenant colonel six, major Ave
captain four, first lieutenant three an,
second lieutenant two, when publi
quarters are available, and, when not
/ to receive So a month for each room
| allowed.
It As said that in the past officer
| serving in the field have been carried
as temporarily detached from post, ;
and have by that means been able tC
draw this allowance in cash Under ;
| ruling OF the war department, however
the existing war has been declared
mot temporary, and officers serving
in the field are not entitled to compu
tation.
Officers in the field point out as an
illustration that colonel occupvino =
chair III the war department receives
pay at S444.l4 a month. while a colonel
serving with troops at Camp Meade
only few miles distant, and spending
whole days and nights in ce-coated or
muddy trenches, striving to whip into
shape recruits for the war, receives
pay of only $333.33 a month.
They charge that field service is pen
allied, because an officer in the field
has 10 keep up just as much of a town
establishment for his family as the of.
ticer on duty at the war DEPARTMENT
ana III addition must have a small &c
tabllshment Ill the camp at which he is
serving.
In speaking of the field establishment
the oihcers assert that the very cheap
est equipment they can buy-the arti
cles they are required by regulations to
haFe-costS today about $500. This.
they say, allows merely a 'passable' -
OUTFIT, constructed of material that will
not stand the strain of even n few
weeks wear before it must be replaced
And, they say, that even in huvinr the
best, which ii is assured would bring
the total cost nearer 81 900, at least
haf an officer S equipment must be re-
placed each year, together with new
equipment rendered necessary from
time to time by the different methods
OF warfare developed in the present
conflict.
Added TO the cost Of equipment IS
the cost of living in camp. An officer
Is compelled to furnish his own food.
and the mess bill of each officer. each
month, amounts TO about $50. An officer
also IS compelled to furnish his own
bedding, including blankets, mattresses.
meets, and pillows. Unlike an enlisted
man, he cannot do his own laundry
work, and this each month adds anotb
Ell item OF about SIS.
Secretary Bakers recommendation
was based on a recommendation made
ny the staff Of the army war college of
the necessity for granting communication
OF quarters to officers with troops. The
Judge advocate general of the army. in
an opinion rendered to the secretary. i
understood 10 have held that the grant
my OF communication is strictly legal
within the wording of the appropria.
tion act passed by congress in 1907.
The recommendation or request from
the secretary included all officers on
duty with troops in the field. Senator
Watson OF Indiana has introduced q bin
granting communication to officer with
dependents, and Senator Jones has in.
tfoduccd an amendment to this bin
granting II to all officers.
Just when the measures viii ho
brought before the senate probably will
hc determined at meeting of the sen
ate military affairs committee.