Page:The history and achievements of the Fort Sheridan officers' training camps.djvu/207

 THE FIRST OFFICERS' TRAINING CAMP

��penal code to habitues of the traditionally hos- tile civil courts. Nev- ertheless, the military instructor was generally present during such classes, in order that there might be no ques- tion as to the proper interpretation of the army text. The term "Military Jurisdiction," found at the top of the first page of Chapter 1 , glared staggeringly at the candidate of a non- legal turn of mind. He wondered if he ever would be able to mas- ter the strange sound- ing w^ords and phrases which followed. After a few days' study, hov/- ever, he found that the explanations w^ere not so terribly vague after all. He learned the sources and kinds of military jurisdiction and the tribunals through

which this jurisdiction should be exercised. Of most interest to him among these tribunals w^ere the summary, special and general courts. He found out the distinction betw^een these three "courts-martial" — who had power to appoint members, those persons and offenses over w^hich each court had jurisdiction, the method of procedure, organization, right to witnesses and depositions, rules of evidence, concluding incidents of the trial, punishments, records of trial, and final action to be taken by the appointing or superior authority.

After a know^ledge of the courts and their powers had been gained, the important Aritcles of War, especially the "punitive," 54th to 96th, inclusive, were studied in detail. The 1 1 0th warned of certain vital articles w^hich must be read and explained to every soldier at the time of his enlistment and every six months thereafter. If this warning were adhered to, a military offender could never say, "1 did not know. " A casual reading of the last of the "puni- tive articles" would almost lead a prospective member of a court to think, "Why all the other articles? When in doubt apply the 96th!"

The study of the "Manual" revealed the iron hand of power which might

���JUDGE LANDIS REVIEWING THE EVIDENCE

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