Vanishing Landmarks: The Trend Toward Bolshevism

by Leslie M. Shaw

I am indebted to an army officer for the following, which I have not verified and therefore cannot vouch for, but I give it simply because it is absolutely true to life.

During the Indian insurrections in Texas, a certain officer got word to his quartermaster that he must have supplies and ammunition at a given point on the Rio Grande River without delay or his detachment would be annihilated. The quartermaster must have been a civilian for, regardless of red tape and formality, he proceeded to act. He found a boat and sought to engage it. But the river was low and the owner dared not attempt the trip. “But,” said the quartermaster, “if you do not go, those men will be annihilated.” “If I do go,” said the owner, “my boat will be annihilated, and it’s the only boat I have. You have more men.”

Rather than fail, the quartermaster purchased the boat for twelve thousand dollars. He loaded it with supplies and ammunition, started it up the river and made his report. Promptly, the department at Washington refused to ratify the purchase, and reprimanded the quartermaster severely for exceeding his authority in purchasing a boat. I submit that the department was right. No member of Congress would vote to give a quartermaster authority to buy a river steamer. Even the Secretary of the Navy would need congressional authorization. Fortunately, the boat returned and the quartermaster tried to get the man to take it back. He refused. Then the quartermaster found a purchaser, sold the boat for twelve thousand five hundred dollars, paid the purchase price and sent five hundred dollars to Washington. Promptly the department refused to ratify the sale and again reprimanded the quartermaster because he had sold a boat without authority. And the department was again right. Congress never has given and never will give authority to a quartermaster or anyone to sell a boat or anything else except after prolonged condemnation proceedings, and then at auction. Any corporation, under like circumstances, would have made that quartermaster a vice-president. Instead his pay was held up, and he faced court martial until some comptroller risked his official life and reputation by closing the account, also in violation of law.

If I remember correctly, it was Colonel Phillips of the regular army who gave me this chapter from his experience: While in command at a frontier post he was asked by the department to make a recommendation concerning a certain matter. Following the regulations, he referred the matter to his quartermaster. The quartermaster reported favorably to the colonel in command, and he, as colonel, joined in the recommendation and sent it to Washington. In due time he received instructions to proceed and, again obeying regulations, he directed the quartermaster to carry out the instructions of the department. This was done and the quartermaster so reported to the colonel in command, and the colonel approved this report and forwarded it to the department. All of this was regular and would afford no occasion for comment but for the fact that Colonel Phillips, the officer in command, was also quartermaster. He had asked himself what had best be done, made his report to himself, approved the report made to himself, joined in his own recommendation, then directed himself what to do, reported to himself that it had been done and then, as commander of the post, had transmitted all the papers to the department, which, in course of time, were approved, and one more closed incident in the military affairs of the United States of America resulted. He had signed the same paper seven times and there had been no way to abbreviate.

I submit that if he had been in charge of railroad operations, some congestion of freight would have resulted while all these necessary formalities were being worked out.

I want it definitely understood that in recording these instances, no criticism is intended. No material improvement ever can be made without throwing wide open every conceivable door and shutter through which fraud and corruption not only can creep but leap and run. I give them for no other purpose than to prove established principles to which there are few if any exceptions, to-wit: That a republic in business is an ass.

CHAPTER XXII
THE POST OFFICE

The common belief that the Post Office Department is conducted along approved business methods is sought to be dissipated.

The advocates of government ownership continually remind you that the Post Office Department is a government managed affair. It is, and I think I am perfectly safe in saying that until the government took control of the railroads, cables, telegraph and telephone lines, commenced building ships and constructing airplanes, it was the worst managed institution on the face of the earth. And it has mattered little, if any, which political party has had control of its affairs.