Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-06-16
Army and Navy News

general efficiency of its imin,stra-
ton. The subcommittee of the House
naval committee on the conduct Of
the war by the Navy found after a
careful investigation thas the eff
cheney of the bureau OF supplies and
accounts was 100 per cent, that it had
met every demand of the Navy for
clothing, subsistence ard supplies,
and with the most reasonable ex-
pense.
The singular thing about the eff
cheney of this department is that Adj
miral MCGOWAN says he never does
anything himself; his assistants do it
all, and the only credit he is entitled
to is that he picked out the right kind
of men to do the work; and the latter
say that, of course, everything goes
smoothly when the "Old Man" is
around to direct the way he wants
things to go.
rule of the Secretary of the Navy
that the way to do things we'll is to
select the right men to do them, and
to see that they do them. 1t is the
selection of men like MCGOWAN and
his associate bureau officers that
have kept the Navy Of the United
States up to it's high traditions.
*
On May 80 the Secretary of
War published an order reciting the
Presidents order of
Conscientious March 20 that men
nh;..+o,. who profess con-
oDJectors. scientious scruples
against warfare may select certain
forms of service of non-combatant
character, and the order of the Sec
rotary of War to try by court-mar-
tial those declining to accept such
service (a) whose attitude in camp
is defiant; 90 whose sincerity is
questioned; (o) who are active in
propaganda 1t provides that such
persons who are not otherwise defiant
shall be transferred to Fort Leaven-
not under arrest, pending further in
structions from the Secretary.
Under this order the Secretary ap-
pointed board of one military Off
Ger and two civilians to interrogate
personally each man SO transferred.
This board may furlough such men
as they find to be sincere to agri-
cultural duties under certain limita-
tions and restrictions. Pending de-
cision in each case before the board,
~
Secretary, are to receive treatment
as follows: They must keep them
selves clean, and, declining to do
military duty, must do their own
cooking. If drafted man, by GER
tifiicate or his written statement to
self as an objector, he shall not
be required to wear a uniform or to
bear arms; nor, if pending the final
decision as to his status. he shall
decline to perform, under military
direction, duties which he states to
conscience, shall he receive punish
ment for such conduct"
1t seems that the commanding Of
ficer of one of the camps ordered
court-martial for forty-five of OBJ
jectors who had refused to wear
Army uniforms, and the court found
against them and sentenced them to
a life sentence at Fort Leavenworth.
The commanding officer reduced the
sentence to twenty-five years in the
same fort.
In view of the Secretary's order an
interesting case presents itself. 1t
does not appear from the record
whether the directors were charged
with defiance, insincerity or activity
in propaganda. 1t has been intimated
that since the PRONUNCIATION of the
order the number of those claiming
the right to escape active duty on
conscientious grounds has increased
suddenly to a considerable extent. on
the mistaken theory that they will be
protected from punishment under that
part of the order which says that he
shall receive no punitive treatment
for such conduct"
OF course the camp commander
must be the judge OF whether an
offender has come within the pro-
visions of the order, and must take
prompt measures if any propaganda
is attempted which will bring results
adverse to discipline. 1t will, of
course, be recalled that the beginning
of the collapse of Russia was coinci-
dent with interference with the main
tenance of discipline in the army.
The cases tried in this camp will
be reviewed before the Secretary of
War confirms the sentences imposed
by the court-martial.
From the statements given out by
the Secretary of War it is to be in
ferred that the
Clearing the Way War Department
for Supplies. least 100000 men
to France This remarkable feat in