Evening star., 1937-05-02
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL P. KENNEDY.

There are many interesting little side
lights on military preparedness, the
alarms of war and its aftermath, and
changing times that bob up during hear
ings on an Army appropriation bill. For
example, Chairman Dockweiler of the
subcommittee considering the military
budget emphasizes during the Spanish
American War great hue and cry was
raised when the Navy went to sea and
fearful of the Spanish fleet the civilian
population along the coast put up pitiful
wails-"For Gods sake don't let the
Navy leave" So, some 80 years ago then
modern seacoast defense equipment was
set up, and since allowed to stand with
out much repair or improvement as a
sort Of caretaking establishment. Since
then this Nation has been through an
other war-the greatest in all history
and yet not one gun in our seacoast
defenses has ever been fired in hostility"
So even those who lean backward the
farthest on the question of peace realize
that fixed seacoast defense is not
aggressive to make warfare with, but is
strictly defensive weapon. The sea-
coast defense has resulted from the work
Board in 1886 and the Taft Board in
1905, with successive denomination of
the latter report.
The official history of the World War
is coming along slowly. 1t is to be a
monumental work like the Ill volumes
of War of the Rebellion, published in the
90s only it will run to only about half
that size. Col. o. L. Spaulding is in
zla - ,l4l
by the Committee on Appropriations for
having fallen in love with his job The
present herculean task is examination
and making a card index summary ON
10000 900 documents. Out of that 200 900
documents have been selected as having
possible value for publication. The record
when completed will include all opera
tions papers of the American troops in
Europe: all documents affecting Amer
leans originating at French headquarters,
and all documents affecting Americans
issued by German troops opposite which
we fought. Most Of these French and
German documents are already in the
files in Washington.
This is not designed to be a popular
sort Of history, but library work for
reference-and totally indispensable to
ally OllC WIN 10 giving w "iAVS AAAovOAy.
They are the documents on which the
writing of history is based. 1t will take
a very long time to complete this work."
Col. Spaulding says.
The Quartermaster Corps of the Army
is now experimenting with comforter
for use of the soldiers in Northern cli-
mates in place Of blankets. 1t is figured
that If man is weighted down with four
or Ave blankets during the night, when
he gets up in the morning he will be
more tired than when he went to bed.
So they are experimenting with downy
comforter, filled with wool, which will
keep him warmer with much lighter
weight.
During the recent flood the Army sup
piled for relief work some $4,000 blankets
and expects to get practically none OF
them returned.
Members of Congress who visited West
Point Military Academy have been much
interested in the lighting arrangements
in the cadets rooms. Maj Gen. William
D. Connor, until recently superintendent,
explained: During the past year we
have installed the latest type of study
and reading lamps in the cadets rooms.
These lamps are of the kind recon-
mended by the Illuminating Engineering
Society and give uniform distribution
of light, highly desired by eye specialists.
We find, however, that the new cadets
have to be instructed in using them to
get the desired benefit
Some folks about the Capitol who are
daily patrons Of the House Restaurant
do not agree with the testimony OF
Chairman Warren of the Committee on
Accounts. under whose jurisdiction the
restaurant operates, that Prices in the
House Restaurant are lower than in any
similar restaurant in the city, En-
phasizing that they pay no high salaries,
he said there Is a personnel Of about 10
and the average salary Is $l.62 q day.
The chef and two Of the cooks have been
employed there for upwards Of 20 years.
It costs about 5000 a month to feed
these employees. They get lower grade
Of food than Is served in the restaurant.
I'VE buy the very best food that is in
the market, and the prices we pay are
in line with prices given hotels and other
restaurants Last year there was in
stalled the most modern equipment to be
found any place in the city. It Is strictly
sanitary and replaced equipment that
had been In service 80 to 40 years." said
Representative Warren, In asking the
Appropriations Committee for; his annual
operating fund.