Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 200: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

182 The Bulletin, however, had evidenced its fearless- ness by sponsoring the cause of this worthy Ameri- The post of which the writer has the honor of being commander, contributes a stipulated sum weekly in order that the committee may proceed with its duties unhampered by financial need. Fifty other posts throughout Brooklyn also contribute to this fund. It is the belief of the Raymond A. Mciver Post that the Kings County Council, V.F.W., is entitled to the full credit of sponsoring the fight for the vin- dication and liberation of Cunningham.’’—GEORGE REANEY, Commander Raymond A. Mclver Post, V. F. W., Brooklyn. At this writing the latest development is that an attempt was made to have Cun- ningham adjudged insane. But he was, in- stead, adjudged sane. By a jury. District of Columbia Supreme Court. Some one may really have considered him insane. On the other hand, an attempt to have him adjudged insane is just the move that would be expected from people who could thus protect themselves from charges they did not care to face from a sane man even if that man had been successfully kept in prison half a dozen years after daring to bring those charges in the first place. Cunningham may be guilty, and they innocent, but he is not insane. And, which- ever of them is guilty, the War Depart- ment and the Administration are guilty for not having the main issue cleared up after six years. By a public trial, a thorough ex- amination into all the facts, and an honest hearing. Since a civil court was appealed to in the effort to prove insanity, why not appeal to a civil court in an effort to deter- mine guilt or innocence? A court-martial does not bear the reputation of being a very reliable means of determining guilt. Asa lawyer or a judge the military man is likely to be a good soldier. The “welfare of the service” is often a worthy cause, but some- times it is sadly at variance with justice which is supposed to be blind to all but the facts on which it passes. Discipline is necessary to military effectiveness, but un- fortunately it sometimes produces aufo- crats who are accustomed to settling mat- ters by their own yes or no without too thorough an examination. Loyalty to one’s caste and salt has its admirable aspects, but sometimes its personal appeal is irreconcil- able with loyalty to abstract justice. Ata court-martial a counsel is assigned to the prisoner for his defense, but he is likely to be a junior officer with the unpleasant task Adventure of opposing his own superiors for the sake of one of his own inferiors. Nor are court- martials, being human as well as military, free irom the charge of having been gov- erned by undue influences, Decidedly it is up to the War Depart- ment and the Administration in general to vindicate the particular court-martial that declared Cunningham guilty. “For the good of the service,” if for no other reason. There are extant too many affidavits cast- ing some doubt as to the correctness of its findings to allow the people to accept those findings unquestioningly. While if all the charges made against Cunningham’s accus- evs, condemners and others are true, there is a surpassing rottenness in our military establishment. If these charges are false, they are so injurious that one would think their victims would insist on public vindi- cation. Pointing to Cunningham’s innocence is the War Department’s steadfast refusal under several years’ bombardment to give his case any more than a star-chamber re- hearing. Particularly when followed by a futile attempt to prove him insane. And if it is true that the War Department or some other part of the Administration has been exercising pressure on the press not to give the case publicity, it is a natural inference for many Americans that the powers that be are making a desperate effort to hide something they are afraid to have seen. Of course Cunningham may be a villain and all the apparent dodging and covering up merely a sane, just and warranted course, buc it’s high time this were proved to be the case.—A. S. H. — ‘@ ha Camp-Fire Stations are spreading steadily over the map. Help make them grow. Any qualified person can start a Station. A STATION may be in any shop, home or other reputable place. e only require- Pee! ments are that a Station shall display the Deeg) regular Station sign, provide a box or drawer for mai! to be calied for and preserve the register book. No responsibility for mail is assumed by anybody; the Station merely uses ordinary care. Entries in register to be confined to name or serial number, route, destination, permanent address and such other brief notes or remarks as desired; each Station can impose its own limit on space to be used. Registers become permanent property of Station; signs remain property of this magazine, so that if there is due cause of complaint from members a Station can be discontinued by withdrawing sign. A Station bulletin-board is strongly to be recommended as almost necessary. On it travelers can leave tips as to conditions of traiis, etc., resident members can post their COMIGDIOOKSEEO