unday Bee.
FAST THREE
HALF-TONE
PACES 1 TO A.
A PAPER FOR THE HOME
OMAHA BEE
YOUR MONEY'S WORTH
VOL. XXXIX-NO. 17.
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 10, 1909.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS.
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Great Display Made by Large Body of Men Representing All Arms of the Military Establishment of the United States in Connection with the Annual Fall Festival at Omaha
The -Omaha
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HE ACTION of the War department In ordering to Omaha
several regiments of soldiers of the regular army to parti
cipate In the annual Ak-Sar-Ben festivities la an Indication
of the high favor In which King Ak-Sar-Ben stands with
the powers that be.
Nfor the land of Ak-Sar-Ben is the onl place on earth the Amer
ican government will send its soldiers to crook the knee to a
monarch. The sending to Omaha this large body of soldiers Is not
a one sided affair, by any means, for Uncle Sam very seldom If ever
drives a poor bargain.
The government's object in sending soldiers out among the
people Is to bring the army closer to the people and In the end to
create for the army a warmer place in the affections of the tax
payers. In time, of war It is very easy for the people to love the
soldier, but It has been demonstrated that In time of peace there has
been little favorable thought given' the soldier. So the War depart
ment conceived the Idea of sending the soldiers among the people
to show that they were real human beings and entitled to
serious consideration and their business is of importance, and in
cidentally to create In the breast of the young man a love of country
which the soldier Inspires, and a desire to wear the uniform.
Another object of the government in sending out Its solders to
participate In civic celebrations is to drill Its men in march; famllar
Ize them with camping In the open and broaden them by association
with civilians. The government inaugurated the system of loaning
its troops to civic organizations two years ago when the soldiers
were sent to St. Louis to participate in the festivities incidental to
the balloon races. Then came requests thick and fast for soldiers to
help out in local entertainments and carnivals. The War depart
ment was satisfied with its experiment and now when requests are
made for men of the army If they can be spared the government will
send them. Objection being made solely to sending the soldiers out
for purely local entertainments or carnivals.
The soldiers who participated In the parade Thursday after
noon marched to Fort Omaha from Des Moines, making the trip t
Council Bluffs In six days. The trip to the fort could have been
made n that time but the officers decided to camp in the Iowa
city for the night. For a large body of troops this was an excep
tionally long march. The soldiers, pack trains and artillery
stretched out over three miles In length. In this march the soldiers
used small shelter tents and many of the boys got their first experi
ence in camping out. Both men and horses arrived In Omaha in
first class shape, though the average - travel per day was in the
neighborhood of twenty-eight miles.
These long marches are also of immense value to the horses,
which usually do not stand the pace as well as the men. The horses
are not stabled at all and are compelled to stand in the open regard
less of weather conditions.
The soldiers who have been participating in the Ak-Sar-Ben
festivities have just completed a similar engagement at Des Moines
and they bear testimony to the good effect of mingling with the
people. Not only have they the appearance of a superior crowd of
men, but the conduct of the individuals has been such as to com
mend them to the people generally. Considering the fact that vaca
tions such as this one comes to the soldier very seldom, the restraint
of the men has been remarkable On the streets and on the carnival
grounds, though there were 4,000 soldiers mingling with the crowds
there has been no report of misconduct or ungtntlemanly action such
as might have occurred among so many, soldiers a few years ago.
To the soldiers the hikes across country are in the nature of
outings and are Immensely enjoyed, though the hikes are not given
or that purpose. Officers and enllBted men alike say they enjoy
marching through the crowds In the civic parades and they enjoy
camping close to a city, where they are brought in close touch with
-civilization.
The good conduct of the soldier boy, however, should not be
a surprise to the people for a man has to be a man to get In the
army nowadays. The applicant not only has to be physically as
sound as a dollar, but he must possess common school education and
be of good moral character. That the officers in charge of the
recruiting stations are living up to these rules Is evidenced by the
high standard of the men, in the army compared with the soldier
boys who use to get to town to blow It up.
In every garrison the soldiers are compelled to attend a school.
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GENERAL MORTON AND STAFF AT HEAD OF PARADE.
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PORTION OF THE COLUMN OF THE SIXTEENTH INFANTRY.
through the streets, wheeling around the corners in perfect line.
Infantry and cavalry it was, all the same. Steeds pranced and sabers
raitletl, but never once was the formation broken and never once
was there excitement or haste or worry.
A feature of the parade which attracted much comment was the
age of the soldiers. Seldom was there a "grlizled" veteran, but the
ofllcers and men, though many were veteranu of a war and wore
medals for gallant service, looked young, indeed, to carry the re
sponsibility that rests upon them. Riders never before sat on their
horses more gracefully than the cavalry boys who participate.! in the
parade and Infantrymen marched as one solid body. The cvalry
band received a most generous welcome
The pack mules were a revelation to the younger generation
and an attraction for the older generation. The mules to the old
Veterans may not have been such a sight, but to the civilians who
seldom come In contact with army folks this was a most Interesting
feature of the parade. Each mule was armed with two bales of hay
and they trudged along as unconcerned . as though pulling a plow
In old Missouri. No bridle hindered them, but they followed the
bell mule of the drove. One" young woman, who had evldentally been
reading the advertisements lately. In answer to un Inquiry, said the
mules were loaded with 'home-mado flreless cookers." She said she
could tell by the hay sticking out of the bundles.
The six-mule teams driven with a Jerk lino won the admiration
of those who have tried to drive ono mule with two lines and a rope.
The soldier boya won the hearts of the people. For hours thou
sands who had secured a point of advantage to view the, parnde
stood and waited patiently. It was a tedious wait, too, for there
was much crowding and pushing, but it did not sap the enthusiasm
of the visitors.
The stamp of approval was placed on every company and as an
endorsement of the honorable calling of the uoldler the High School
cadets catne in for the greatest applause of any company. If en
couragement was needed to make the boys stick to the business
they got it Thursday afternoon.
The fact that many of the regiments in the parade have made
glorious history for the governni.ent also added much to the Interest.
The Thirteenth infantry was organized during the revolutionary
war and became a regimental organization In 1812, taking part In
the Mexican war. In 1861 William T. Sherman was its colonel.
The Second cavalry was organized In 1838 and participated in
the Mexican war. The B'ourth cavalry dates Its history from 1840.
The Seventh cavalry, known as Custer's regiment, was organized In
1866.
The Seventh cavalry received great applause when It was rec
ognized by the visitors for its history is new and its progress has
been watched by many who were pioneers in this country when it
was organized and many who became personally acquainted with its
officers and men. '
All In all Thursday was a red-letter for Uncle Sam's soldier boys
In Omaha. Much was expected of them and they made good. And
not the least of the pride felt and expressed by Omaha people and
the visitors was that occasioned by the presence In the line of tho
future soldiers of the country as represented by the High School
cadets, who made a splendid appearance.
At Fort Omaha the soldiers have had a gala time. General
Morton invited -the people of Omaha to visit the fort at any time and
thousands have taken advantage of the invitation to bring them
selves in close touch with real soldiering. It Is from this association
that the commanding general expects his soldier boys to profit
Some of the soldiers appear to be hardly out of their teens and
they are enjoying life to the limit. Hundreds of the boys in blue '
Becured leave of absence to take In the town and visit "the shows on
the carnival grounds. Their uniforms gave them right-of-way
through the gates and on the street cars. While they did not fail
to have their fun on the grounds and proved good spenders around
the confetti barrels, no policeman has registered against a soldier,
a single complaint.
The troops who spent the week in Omaha are: Second cavalry
from Des Moines; Fourth cavalry from Fort Meade; Seventh and
.Fifteenth cavalry from Fort Riley; Thirteenth infantry from Fort
Leavenworth; Sixteenth Infantry from Des Moines. The Seventh
cavalry will leave Tuesday on 1U long march back to Fort Riley.
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PART OF THE CAVALRY DIVISION.
formerly colonel of the Seventh
cavalry and was promoted when
holding that position. Among
the soldiers in camp at Fort
Omaha this week are many who
belonged to the Seventh over In
the Philippines and to them the
occasion Is a reunion. These
soldiers have been entertained
in bunches and have entertained
each other. In honor of Gen
eral Morton Lieutenant Troup
Miller gave a dinner at the
Omaha club Tuesday night and
on this occasion many of the in
cidents of the Philippines were
lived over again. Colonel Mor
ton Is to retire next April and
the occasion was also in the na
ture of a farewell to a faithful
commander. '
The climax of the visit of
the soldiers came Thursday,
when they delighted thousands
with their spectacular march
through the principal streets of
the city. Never before have so
many soldiers marched through
Omaha in honor of Ak-Sar-Ben
and the people of the entire
state showed their appreciation
by turning out by the thou
sands. From the entry of the
troops until the passage of the
freight train all along the line
of march" the soldiers were
given a tumultueus welcome.
The Infantry, the cavalry, the
artillery, the freight train all
had been seen, before by some
of the people, but the parade
seemed new to all. The en
thusiasm at times along the
line of march was Intense, as
officers were recognized or some
favorite company passed In re
view.
General Morton and his
staff marched at the head of the
parade until the city hall was
reached, when they wheeled out
of line and reviewed the sol
diers, and, indeed, it would be
a cold commander whose heart
did not throb with pride as he
witnessed the triumph of his
boys.
From the tinie of the assem
bly call until the parade dis
banded there was not a hitch
or a break. With clocklike
precision the boys In blue went
which is conducted by a graduate of West Point and the
grade runs as high as that of a high school. At Fort
Omaha the signal corps school Is said to be one of the
very best conducted by the government. A four-year
course In that school prepares a person to assume most
any position In electrical engineering and many who have
taken the course and then left the army are holding posi
tions of Importance all over the country. Practically all
of the wireless operators have taken a course in such
schools as this. The soldier who demonstrates that he
has an aptitude for electrical engineering is promoted
rapidly and his pay Increased with every promotion, or
as progress is shown.
The standard of the army is also being raised by the
action of the government in weeding out undesirables.
When an enlisted man falls to show improvement, or his
conduct Indicates that he will not be a credit to the army,
he is permitted to withdraw, buys his way out or is let
out.
The soldier boys are real human and in their veins
run good, rich, red blood, as was demonstrated by an In
cident on a motor car several nights ago. A strike break
ing conductor, who, witnesses said, was under the influ
ence of liquor, insulted a woman passenger. One of the
oldler boys promptly knocked him down. An exaggerated
T-cport of the affair was made to the police and a bunch
of boys in uniform was arrested, but as soon as the facts
were known they were discharged without any prosecu
tion. This visit to Omaha has proven to be a reunion at
least for the Seventh cavalry. General Morton was
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PART OF THE SIXTH ARTILLERY.
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FUTURE SOLDIERS THE HIGH SCHOOL CADETS.
HOSPITAL CORPS.
That he is well pleased with the action of his soldier
boys and that the association with civilians Is bringing
the army Into better repute the following order Issued
by General Morton after the Des Moines tournament tes
tified: At the closing hour of this tournament and before
the departure of the troops the commanding general
wishes to express to the command his congratulations
over the success upon all lines of this largest military
tournament ever held in the United States, and to ex
press his appreciation of and gratification over the in
terest, energy and zeal displayed by every organization,
thus causing the whole affair to move from start to
finish without hitch, friction or Jar and with uniform
good feeling throughout, though the contests were spir
ited and executed with great determination.
There is equal satisfaction over the conditions that
obtained in the camp. The ground being contracted for
camping such a large command made It too condensed
for comfort and made necessary the enforcement of the
strictest sanitary measures, which was accomplished with
gratifying results, with hardly a complaint from the vig
ilant sanitary inspector.
The commanding general's interest in these military
tournaments la based almost wholly upon the convlc
' tlon that the better the army Is known and understood
by the people the better It is for the people and army.
He is convinced that this encampment, with Its exhibi
tions of army life and many of the features of Its train
ing, has been a revelation to many thousands of people,
and of mutual benefit. "
But the best feature of all has been the heart n;
conduct of the command, which have evoked the hl
terms of praise from people and press and demons
not only the high standard of character of the pern
itt the army, but Its equally high order of training
discipline.
