The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-12
13Oth Courts Martial Were Not
Fair, They Assert.
PrivateS Got the Limit-Offi-
Ger Got Off Lightly.
5000 WAS USUAL SENTENCE
That Meant 80 Days and a Fine
of Sixty Dollars.
Officer Who Became IntOxi'
Gated Got No Punishment.

There is a good deal of bitterness on
the part of returned men from the
35th division and other army units on
account of the present court martial
system in the United States army
which, they claim, is very unfair and
unjust. Both officers and men believe
that the system should be changed.
and the court martial system be put
more on a civil basis.
They agree that there must be more
strictness in army trials than in civil
ones because discipline is indispensable
to military success, but the objection
of these men is based on the fact that
military courts martial are biased
from personal prejudice and custom.
Enlisted men are much more
severely handled on minor charges
than officers, altho, to a casual OBJ
server, an officer should be more
severely disciplined, SO as to keep the
officer standard up higher Such, say
the soldiers, is not the case.
Site One Case.
One case in the both field artillery
was quoted by several of the men, and
is Vouched for. A sergeant in one of
the batteries of the regiment stood
inspection one day with a revolver
which was rusted. An army revolver
is often rusty hen it is issued, and it
is very difficult to keep it absolutely
spotless. Be that as it may, this SER
geant was tried by summary court
martial and vas reduced to the grade
of private, given three months con-
finement at hard labor and forfeited
two-thirds of his pay for that time.
A few weeks later this mans cap
tain and two lieutenants in the battery
went on a "cognac campaign" and,
when some sergeantS on the floor
above them called down about mid
night for some quiet this captain
I'll To-.
guage as he had at his command, it
is asserted-and his men say he had a
choice collection-and sent two lieu
tenants, who were also few sheets to
the wind. to calm down the gang up
stairs. The two Officers and gentle
men" went upstairs and one of them
drew a gun on the men. He didn't
good, the soldiers say.
Thru the efforts of the battalion
commander, a Topeka captain, the Of
ficers were brought to trial, altho the
lieutenant colonel tried, according to
reports, to have the affair hushed up.
Got No Punishment.
The general court martial which
tried the officers. changed around the
charges against the captain until final
ly he was convicted of drinking
liquor" and sentenced to be repri-
manded. The reprimand was disap-
proved at division headquarters, so he
didn't get any punishment. One lieu
tenant was fined $3.50, and the result
of the others trial has not yet been
handed down. And this sergeant re-
ceived three months for a dirty re-
voIver.
All trials of a minor nature are by
summary court, which is composed of
one officer, usually of field rank, who
is appointed by the regimental COM
mander.
Every time we changed regimental
commanders" said one 130th man, "a
new summary court was appointed.
And the sentences were in accordance
with the mans disposition
Gave Boys the Limit.
One summary court officer in the
1 Goth is famous for the remark 80
80. and 1 wish 1 could give you more"
That meant ninety days and sixty dol
lars, which is the limit that can be
given by a summary court.
1t is an old saying in the army that
when a man goes up for trial by sum-
mary court or general court, he goes
for his sentence, for he is convicted
before he gets there, and the consensus
of opinion seems to be that there is
more truth than fiction in the state
ment.