Evening star., 1927-10-27
Gen. SummeralIs Comment
on Army Housing Stirs Press

Housing conditions at Army posts
have been presented to the public as
an urgent problem through the recent
statement Of Maj. Gen. Summerall,
chief of staff, and resulting newspa.
per comment.
Recalling that another general
stated last year that 1.-The Army hous-
ing situation in certain camps Is a
shame to the Government" the Chi
cago Daily News says: What mat
ters ultimately, of course, is not any
particular departure from etiquette
for which rebukes may be warranted
but the truth of the statements. Prest-
dent Coolidge defends the Army hous-
ing program of his administration
and asserts that the new budget will
provide $4,000, 900 for construction and
repairs. II a larger amount is re-
quired to remedy conditions rightly
complained of. it should be demanded
of and granted by Congress. 1t is ex-
ceedingly poor economy to starve the
Army"
when Congress meets, a statement
of what has actually been done for the
relief of the Army and what remains
to be done should be required of the
War Department" declares the New
York Times. "Its hands are tied by
piecemeal appropriations. The work
Of reconstruction is going on too slow
ly. A discontented Army cannot be
disciplined by officers who know there
are grievances and are themselves vic
wants of the service should be sup
Piled"
The Texarkana Gazette asserts that
while some of the more centrally To-
Gated Army posts appear to be show
places, there is a decided lack of ade-
quate facilities at most of the posts.
There are not so many out-of-the-way
Army posts now as there were Is or
20 years ago. adds the Gazette, but
what few of them still are in use are
in a very rundown condition"
\ X \
The Oakland Tribune says that
every one who has made even cas-
ual investigation knows living quar-
ters in many posts are all but dis
graceful" Ever since the war;" it
is pointed out by the Fresno Bee, 1.-The
percentage of desertions from the
Army has been steadily mounting.
Not long ago the daily ration allow
ance was raised a few cents. But in
many posts absolutely nothing has
been done to better housing conditions
for years, and the men are living in
tumbledown shacks that are not fit
to house animals"
The FL Paso Herald states: mo
member of Congress can plead igno-
rance Of the wretched novels in which
married enlisted men live, and in some
instances officers and their wives and
children also. This may not hold good
at every post, but each annual report
of the Secretary of War for the past
several years has told about them and
has named the forts and camps in
which these conditions were fragrant
Even Fort Bliss. almost a model post,
has had experience with tin, canvas
and tar-paper shacks as housing for
non-commissioned officers and their
families"
Gen. Summerall's outstanding abil.
ity as a soldier" observes the Buffalo
Evening News, "has won him a high
place in the regard of the American
people. Whatever he has to say in
behalf of the enlisted men commands
public attention and respect" The
Rock Island Argus adds: "If we sense
public opinion correctly. the country
wants its soldiers properly housed,
even il the cost does reach $110, ,00O, 900,
the alleged necessary total" The
Kansas City Journal contends that
"the Army housing problem is a great
one and there is no reason for post
ponement of steps to end the dis
grace"
Common sense will not permit us
to do other than what we have been
doing-spending larger sums for ma
.tional defense each year." says the