The Washington herald., 1918-05-12
Army and Navy News

The War Department can not
legally engage the services of en-
pgoyes Of a detective bureau for
guard duty at a Eas-defense plant,
since the act of March 3, 1898 C27
Stat, 572, 591), prohibits the en-
pfoyment in any government serv-
log of employees of the Pinkerton
Detective Agency or similar
agency. II the government desires
to avail itself of the services of such
men. it will have to engage them
aS employees of the government, and
not as employees of such detective
bdreau and their connection with
the detective bureau will have to
be severed before they can legally
- engaged as employees of the gov
sSnment
sAn coal procured through the
Fuel Administrator is at prices
flHed by the government, II. o. b.
mines" and in accordance with COM
nfercial usage such coal becomes
the property of the government
upon its being loaded and turned
oter to the transportation company
at the mines upon the issuance of
bins OF ladinE Thus the govern
ment is not liable for any insur-
aRce on such coal unless placed at
TIN request of the government.
Government appropriations are not
available to pay Insurance pre-
mkIms unless made so in express
terms by Congress (23 Comp. Dec.
26s, 297).
1 detachment Of Engineers. which
has purchased with its own funds a
II N1k,
has at its own expense fitted up a
stsreroom with a hardwood floor to
be. used as a gymna sium and dance
hail. may lawfully be authorized to
mske charge for the use by another
organization Of such moving picture
machine sufficient to cover the up
keep and any depreciation thereof.
and may likewise be authorized to
chkrge for the use by another organi-
zatiOn OF the storeroom an amount
SUFFICIENT to pay for polishing the floor
and putting the fixtures of the hall
in proper condition after such use; II
being understood that no element OF
profit is to enter into such charges.
Sums So received may properly be
listed in the detachment council book
under the. heading Rental, Detach-
msnt PROPERTY to ="
The goyeEumsnt having contract
eds to purchase all the stock of the
Hoboken Manufacturer Railroad
Company upder an arrangement
whereby the railroad is to continue
as a corporate entity. in so far as
cohcerns the transportation of gov
erpEnent supplies, the road should
be regarded as an instrumentality
under the control OF the War De-
partment- With respect to the
commercial business thereon. the
regulations Of the Director General
of Railroads should be followed, but
not to the extent OF interfering in
any way with the primary purpose
of the road as an instrument for
military transportation.
The Hoboken Manufacturers'
Railroad Company is not entitled to
the franking privilege. Although,
pursuant to agreement. all the stock
of such railroad is now, or is soon
to be. owned by the government.
yet so long as the railroad is oper-
ated by the corporation and not d.
rectly by the Quartermaster Corps.
the case Is analogous to that of
the Panama Railroad Company,
which company is not accorded the
franking privilege.
The assumption Of government con-
trol Of a railroad by the director gen
eraI OF railroads should have no effect
upon pending or contemplated suits
against the railroad company, nor
upon negotiations for settlements Of
claims for personal injuries. The
local authorities of such railroad still +,
have authority to negotiate settle
nents for such claims. and the rail-
road company IL liable to suit, ex-
aetiy as II the government had not
assumed control Of It
. A person who qualified as an EXPERT
rtneman, sharpshooter. or nnarksnnan
while In attendance as a civilian at
the Piattsburg training camp in 1915
or nl6. and who has since that time
been commissioned as an oficer IN
the army, Il not entitled to wear the
badge Of an. expert rifeman, sharp
shooter or marksman by reason Of
such Qualifications. These badges are
part Of the uniform and are pre-
scraeed only for qualifications attained
ln the service. Small Arms Firing |
Manual. seetion ~.
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