The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-06-06
sUazIz n OFFICERS UNIFORMS

8uaF15 men Hn0 have Hoh O0mmis=
sioas Insulted h Regulars; Officers
No. Ereafed Lie PrIsates When
OoHrt-rAarlialed-
Herbert corey IN New York. about
this oourtsImartial matter.
General Wood says private soldiers
are treated IS fairly By courts-mar=
tial as officers are. Except, says he.
officers sitting On courts naturally
hesitate to credit charges made
against fellow officers who have
served faithfully Tor years.
Maybe 80. General Wood has the
figures at his fingers ends Every
one knows that General Wood is alb
saluIely fair and square himself.
But Is it not possible that be was
something Of the professional sol
dier's point of view? Also, because
be Is big man and a fearless one.
it is possible that things do not hap
pen IN his presence which might well
be commonplace where smaller men
morally are concerned.
NJ own impression has been thai
our Regular Army lisa bit Prussian
in It's attitude toward the private
soldier. Not all Of our regular army
officers, Of course But there are
mean=spirited little buIlies N the
uniform, and II has seemed 10 me
that the regular establishment sup
ported them. Time after time ! have
blushed for the service II hearing an
officer smart at fine, clean, npstand=
ing young American who had polun=
teerad TO serve his country. Some
where there was lack Of discipline
among the ofIieers-or rather some
where there was . lack Of the proper
spirit
why don't you click your heels
you National Guardsman?" Enarled
a brigade adjutant Of the Rainbow
Division. Haven't you ever learned
how % salute, y0u--.
The lieutenant who was being
abused shamefully In the presence Of
his men had been on duty in the front
line for IS hours without rest lie
was covered with mud from heel 10
head. His boots we're 80 clogged with
mire that he could not have clicked
his heels in 10 minutes, stryinE. The
adjulant was brown.polishe1 and
tailored aud natty. II was his first
visit 10 the front line
III teach You National Guards
men something about soldering. :.
said the professional soldier.
He filed charges against the lien
tenant. who was an officer in one Of
the companies Of the i6eth Regi-
ment from Ohio. II VII soon land
on this side OF the water The lien
tenant had good colonel n Ben
Hough, who not only fought his regI=
menI. but fought for his regiment
against the regular establishment.
Hough insisted that his lieutenant II
given trial aud iiled charges against
the adjutant.
I'll find out said Tough. .sheth.
er an adIutant can come down inIf
ny trenches and curse an officer .
mine IN the presence Of his men
Well, he found out The adjutani
did not press his charges agaInHI
the lieutenant because one OF the IN.
forgiYable things is 70 reproTe n
officer in the presence Of hIa men
So Lhe charges against the Lieutenant
never came TO trial II last accounts
he vas Sill a lieutenant lie had
not been promoted because of IN
black snoI on his reeord-and, am.
hoH. he Ras a national guardsmaa.
n order to save the adjutant from
being tried on the counter charge
brought b. the lieutenant, he ~.
sem home on mission lie in.
medIatelY became q colonel. III
regular establishment knows how L
project its own.
Il always seemed TO me thai there
was decided difference in the treat
ment afforded The private soldier and
the officer in the American army. 7
private soldier was found IN poa
session Of a jag. he Vas pInehed b
the first II. r. Who met him. Tina
waE the Il. pts duty. But he alsl
learned thai IL vas his duty 10 looH
the other way when m officer mad.
bis Hay up the street IN taeks an
jlbs.
What's your name7s ! heard Al
M. p. ask a drunken officer on til
streets Of Paris. Whats your unit.
You 80 to HE'LL vas the reply
II you come near me III kno6E
your block of.
The NJ P. shrugged his shoulder
and went on his way. | asked hin
why he did moi arrest the officer
WHO was making a very unpleasant
exhibition Of himself On the streets
Not chance. said he. I ran Il
one officer who was worse ihan h
waH--and Il was me VINO got bawIad
out and not the officer
fTHsu may h.
episode, but II remains a faef tia
our officers paid not the slightest IT.
ten1lon 10 our II P.'a IN France. I
often happened that when an officer
"got in bad" be was sent home IN.
stead of being sent II a eonrt-mar.
TIA. There are no figures available
70 prove this, o. COURSE Blu I hasf
never known an officer being treated
with anything but the mosI djeIIa.
guIshed consideration.
On the other hand. there was
time when enlisted men were belna
beaten NJ almost nightly in the arms
iaiI. which was under the direction
OF Inc provost marshal for Paris. ar
was located in The Hotel Ste. Anne
on the Rue Ste Anne, and which n
thai time sheltered several of III
army departments. This fact Nj
unofiicially brought 10 the attention
OF he army authorities. but I neFel
heard Of IN officer being punished be.
cause this condition Of things existed
! saR one sergeant knock thret
men down one night. one man toll
me. He kicked one about the floor
Another vas sent to the hospital II