New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-07
ro CHECK DISCRETION FROM THE ARMY
c,,,scrs LIKELY TO BE SUGGESTED IL SEC

CHANGES LIKELY TO BE SUGGESTED IN SEO'
prr,py PRocToR's ANNUAL REPORT.
u,o.htroton sent 6-The subject OF desertionS from
tho ARMY will he treated at length in the forthcoming
,,rort Of the secretary Of War Various changes ~
cemp and barIack life, with view 10 lhcrca',hS no
soIdiers comfort and interest In his eomhaNu' nav
tona tns,itutcd notably the consolidated mess and
the canteen systems. These have worked wen "h'r
ever fried and the result has been that the percentage
~ assertions 10 cnll,tmens has decreased from 3D..
IN ,1-a 10 293 in 1o-9; and the percentage oi
desertions 10 the total strength of the Army from
Ia in 1853 to 11.6 IN 1859. OF these deSeruohs
% Der cent occurred among men serving Their his'
and second year Of enlistment
In May last Major Theodore schWan, ASSISTANT
all General under instruction OF secretary IIpc-
tor made a tour Of inspection OF the recruiting dcpoS
AZ DayIds Island " y Columbus, Ohio, and Jefferson
barracks Mo- The major is himself soldier VINO
came up from the ranks, and his report 10 "'
Adiutant-G General contains numerous shGSSVoh'' III
Guiding the draft Of bill prepared by him a'I "l"'oi
after a close study OF the situation MGJor ''hN"
~. :. whatever causes Of discomfort may at one time
have existed, such as lack oil proNIs'""
or care for the physical comfort and necGs OF t'e
enlisted soldier or unreasonable demands upon ana
unfair or harsh treatment Of him, have been remoNr
so far as it is in the power of the military auhors
TO do so and the cases are rare where la'iu'o Vi
the Government TO make good its Obligations can
he trlthfully alleged aifording even seihDid'o
Of Justification for deserton.'
In relation to this it may be said THAI secretary
Proctor has prepared a statement Of the number oil
deecrtions from Jefferson Barracks Mo-. showing that
in the last three years they have been respectively
$50 244 and $50 a remarkably even record Oh'
feature of the bill propos ID by Major schWah gives "
all peace officers. Federal and state, authority 10
arrest deserters upon their own responsibility ana
without warrant or military order. Additional safe
--igt IN
"repeateso or professional desertrs, and providing
for ,reir identlfcaion after such readmisson, arr
about 10 be adopted under instructions already given
| by the War Department Another provision OF the
oil is that third of the soldiers pay for inc hs
year shall be retained until his discharge and Tor
feited II he does not serve out his term Men us
charged before their term expires, at their own nc
quest are not to receive travel pay. The Dill alS'
| Droyides for the adoption Of the British custom o.
permitting enlisted men 10 purchase their discharges
Acting Adjutant-Genera McKccver and other officers
OF the staff have Secretary Proctors request SUD
mitted memoranda the subject OF desertions' when
he has now under consideration. one Of these fixes
the sum to be required for the purchase OF discharge
at $50 The use of large dOT1nitOres In barracks
instead of what the army regulations contemplate
squad rooms for from six TO ten mon IS given as the
cause OF much discomfort among the men. Acting
AdiutantG General McKecvcr says, that in his opinion
tbe chief causes Of desertions are dsappolnt
mcnt at the realities of military life; inc
employment Of the solder on laborcTs WORK. with
out extra pay inequality Of punishmenis as nilcied
by court martial; bad company administration some
times tvrannicaI conduct toward enlisted men by
officers and more especially first sergeans and, ABOVE
ali the too.often unnecessary restraints imposed OF
the soldier. lie also believes that the largest number
Of descrters are Americanborn.
The following remedial measures are suggested
Limit the term OF service I'm the first enlistment Il
three years. recnlstmcnt 10 five years grant dis
lcbarpes on paymcut OF certain sum,
graded according 10 length OF service
discharge men found 10 he ncorrighly lad, without
character and thus bar their recently into tho scr
vice secure graded code Of punlshments for The
guidance OF courts martial: secure better class o
gcants by Increasing their pay make the arrest anc
punishment OF dcscIters more certain than az present
by Increasing the reward for their apprehension ah'
delivery from $50 TO 800.
Secretary Proctors report Will SdouhucsS contain
recommendations along The general lines lad down II
, | the sugge stions above set forth.