Evening star., 1926-04-30

The country's interest in the de-
cision of the court martial that found
Col Alexand Williams of the
Marines guilty in drinking case
centers about the question whether
Gen. Smedley Butler was justified in
bringing charges against his host at
social function.
Start a discussion on the subject
almost anywhere and one may draw
two opinions" the Bangor Daily
Commercial explains. He may learn
from one that Gen. Butler had but
one proper course to follow and that
as comma nding officer he would have
been derelict in his duty had he not
, reported the alleged act of An offlcer
under his command. On the other
hand. one is certain to receive the in.
formation that Gen. Butler in taking
the action that he did violated social
ethics and took an unnecessary
acticn.
AS the Hartford Times sees it:
The popular feeling will always he
that when Gen. Butler instituted
charges against his host, he did some
thing that was not necessary and
which did not help sustain the dis
cipline of the service. The presump-
ton is too strong that really big
man in Gen. Buffers position as hon
ored guest could have tactfully re-
strained on avoided the convivial sit
uation long before it threatened
scandalous developments. The out
ward look of the thing is that of a
| martinez hiding his own fault behind
the masquerade of an exaggerated
sense of duty, which brought sadly
unfortunate consequences to every
| interest concerned"
X X Il
The Muncie Star. taking a similar
position. remarks: Fidelity TO duty
is an admirable thing in civilian life
nd is the first consideration in Army
| and Navy circles. While some may
admire Gen. Butler for having per-
formed his duty. even though it was
a disa greea BILE one. many Will feel
there were other and better ways TO
do the right thing in that case. The
rule against drinking. from military
sta ndpoint, is primarily for the good
of the service. 1t would seem as II
the incident involving only one col
onel might have been handled effec-
lively and discreetly without making
national sea ndal Whlcn All IN tne
service regret.
Commenting upon Gen. Buffers
complaint that many newspapers had
not given him square deal. the
Seattle Daily Times declares the re
markable thing about that statement
is that Gen. Butler thinks 1t is true ~
The Seattle paper continues: Called
suddenly from the military service to
take charge Of Philadelphia's police
department, he became national
figure. His spectacular exploits made
good newspaper copy, and it was
dull DAY, indeed, that he did not set
notices on the front page. Like many
others who have been suddenly thrust
into the lmelight, he was daZZled
He began to think that the publicity
was due to his own inherent qualities
rather than to his unique position.
The newspaper of the country were
circumspect In reporting the court
martial proceedings at San Diego
No doubt he missed the strong tonic
of favorable publicity. In his latest
role Gen. Butler cuts a sorry fgure.
MANY will believe that, under the
circumstances, the marine commander
would not have committed great
fault had he failed to give official
notice regarding Col. Williams.
Voicing an opinion held by many
papers, however, the Topeka Daily
CAPITAL declares: There is more to
| the Williams case than the question
of drinking, and Gen. Butler so indi-
Gates by his notice to the officers
under his command that drinking will
be suppressed. There are no COM
plants of insubordination in this
sense among the private soldiers and
non.commissioned officers. Drinking
among them Is not countenance
| but discipline by the very nature OF
the orSa nization is subject TO special
| privilege in the Army. As privl-
! legged class many officers hold the
{ prohibition law in contempt. and 1t
, was the peculiarly contemptuous con
duct Of Col. Williams In this respect
| that added insolence 10 an one nse
against the law and against Army
| regulations
! "what was Gen. Butler TO do?"