§ Mr. H. TERRELLasked whether the funds of officers' messes and sergeants' messes are, as to the greater or some part thereof, provided by officers and sergeants out of their private moneys; and, if so, by what authority was Army Order 214 of 1916 issued, such order providing that on the disbandment of a battalion the balances standing to the credit of the officers' mess and the sergeants' mess are to be remitted to the Paymaster for credit to the public?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe Army Order applies only to temporary units. The grants to such units from public funds are considerable. It is quite possible that a portion of the credit balance of some of these units when they cease to exist may have been contributed by members of the mess,438W but it would be impracticable to attempt to allot their share of the balance to such contributors.