The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-21
A Regular United States Army in Time
of Peace impossible.

Tho army costs the country over thirty
million dollars n year. Measured by any
recognized standard Of value it Is not worth
one cent per annum, and the money spent
for its maintenance Is utterly thrown away.
The Americans are periodically warlike
but they ara not military. IN American
army in time Of peace is an impossibility.
Onlya great war can put and keep in the
field true United States army. The prin-
ciple Of equality which underlie5 our civil
and social life spoils Americans for pcrma-
nent military service. 1t is only the grand
impulse TO fight for the country, and save
its existence or its honor. that will take
them into the ranks. The distinguishing
practical common sense Of the nation
is against army life. 1t accomplishes
nothing. 1t wastes time, money, and effort.
II is nothing but the carrying of gun up
and down a beat, the aus wriiuls 10 periodic
roll call, walking to order over n parade
ground. Except in war, it is useless, it is
silly; something that sensible men should be
ashamed Of. An examination Of the regimen
tai muster rolls will show the prevalence Of
this national feeling The names generally
indicate foreign birth or recent naturaliza-
ton. The few Americans in the ranks got
AlllbhBli an ullihHh1 il'htAhNil' d lliuil'
in the family, some small offence for which
flight from the ncighborhood became neces-
sary the many emotional causes which sud
denly drive men to acts of desperation.
Striking proof that a genuine American
army, such as GRANT wasted at Coal Har-
Dor is an impossiblity in n time of peace,
Is furnished by the record Of desertiOns. In
1873 the number amounted TO 7,27l; that Is,
in one year one-third Of the available force
Of the United States army ran away from
it and disappeared In 1874 the number Of
desertions was 1905 There were 1881 in
1875, 1,si in 1876, 2,51G in 1877, and 1878 in
1878. The diminution Of desertion since
1873 Is due wholly 10 the continued paralysis
Of the industry Of the country. The men
could not better themselves by running out
Of the army, so they stayed in it. But #
1879 shall usher in revival OF nation al
prosperity, the desertions from the army
will steadily run up in number to those
OF eight and nine years ago, when one
half Of the available" enlisted mcr
regularly ran away. The Secretary Of
War innocently complains, in his last
report, that "the crime of deser-
ton Is still alarmngly prevalent" He
ought TO know that it is disease, rather
than crime. 1t is n constitutional disease
inherent in our military system. Tho United
States army in time Of peace is not an
army. 1t is n livelihood. Officers and men
go into it to get a living; the first pcrma-
nent living, the second n temporary one
Both will quit it when they can do better
Not man enlists into the ranks from any
higher motive than TO get food, clothing,
lodging, and comfortable shelter. 1t Is I'M
necessary 10 ask what kind Of an army Is
got from such n source Of supply. It's
thorough worthcs-ncs Is obvious Deser-
lion from such an army cannot fairly be
said 10 be crime, The men are sham sol
diors, the army is a sham army, and tho
sooner it disappears by dosortion, the bettor
for the truth Of civil administration. For
the sooner will We be brought 10 reason in
the management Of our public affairs, in the
military branch Of which we sensces,ly keep
on wasting thirty million dollars year.
1t is a suggestive and instructive fact in
the War Departments record Of assertions
that tho commands in which the fcwcst
occur are the despiscd negro regiments. In
the 18th Infantry there was not one dosor-
ton last year In the 2l'h Infantry there
were only eight. IL the 10th Cavalry there