Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-07

people and whose noble qualities are still held
In grateful memory-Father Van Horseigh, who
died forty years ago, and Father Boyle, whose
death IN 1882 still seems q fresh loss to many
devoted friends.
THE SOLDIERS PLEA.
How They are Treated and the
Changes They Ask For.
VOICE FROM THE RANKs--THE THREE CAUSES OF
Observation-Disclosures AND SERVANTS, NOT OFF,
GERS AND soLDrERs-RATIoys AND TIE COM
PANY FUxD-THE RETIRED LIST.
To the Editor Of TEE EVENING STAR:
Having been directly connected with the
army for the past ten years, serving on the
frontier, the writer begs permission to break
a lance in behalf of the enlisted man. Deser-
ton las everybody knows who reads the daily
press) is on the increase, and its reasons have
not yet been discovered. During the six
months ending June 80, 49, the records show
| an increase Of 135 over the number reported
for the corresponding period of the previous
year. G, 467 for this six months. See Army
and Navy Journal, August 8, 's9, page 1,OO7. }
The causes of nearly all assertions may be
directly traced as follows:
First To that formidable and august body
known as garrison court.
second The present system Of maneal labor
| at military posts.
Third Want Of variety Of food and the sys-
| tenn In which company funds are conducted.
As IT APPEARS To A SOLDIER.
In many instances the functions of govern
ment are Asian mysteries to the enlisted man.
He knows there are generals and colonels and
garrison courts The former possess strong
rms md NJ init "A H. %ha~ ;a
court before which he can make no defense
and from which he cannot appeal
For example, soldier misses . roll call;
| straightway he is marched to the guard house,
charges are put against him. the ubiquitous
court adjusts the matter by FORGETTING to the
United States SO of his pay. On the terse and
graphic language of the rank and file this is
called a "blindh)
RELATIONS OF MASTER AND SERVANT.
IT, as it is fair to presume from the tenor Of
recent legislation, it is intended to raise the
morale Of the rank and file, the attainment of
that object cannot be more effectually pre-
vented than by permitting q relationship be-
tween officer and soldier akin to that of master
| and servant. The excessive proportion of de-
sertions in our army, as compared with foreign
countries, has ever been charged to lack of
esprit du corps, and it has been sought of late
to inculcate into the enlisted men Of the army
that spirit of honor which characterized the
u
shoulder strap or the plain facing, by holding
out the chance Of winning commission. Is it
right Is it soldierly, to ask q soldier to lay
aside his honorable profession in order to turn
bootblack?
LABoRERs INSTEAD OF SOLDIERS.
Ispeak from experience when say that a
large majority Of desertions are due to the
practice of making laborers out of soldiers.
Many young men who would be credit to the
q n IL ~
they had been led to believe that their occupa-
ton would be that Of soldiers. their principal
work consists in manual labor, either in
Identifying the post where they may serve or
In building roads, telegraph lines, &C. In this
respect alone the government is guilty Of a
breach of faith.
AN OFFICERS WISHES.
1t may be said that such soldiers only can be
employed as servants as volunteer for that
kind of employment But in certain cases, T
might say in nearly every case, the hint of a
commissioned officer is paramount to an order
and enlisted men well know how to interpret
wish communicated to them by a superior be
it ever SO slightly indicated. I do not lose
sight OF the Inconvenience entalled upon
officers by reason Of circumstances which de-
prive them of servants, and some way might
be found to provide for the enlistment of
servants as such-non-combatants and not car
ried on the company rolls, az is the case in
European armies.
RATIoNs AND COMPANY FUNDS.
OF course soldiers ss well an civilians like
well-cooked food, but they don't have it, despite
| pamphlet on cooking which the writer has
tried without sfccess, because the ingredients
laid down are never issued.
Abolition of company funds deserves cousid-
GRAFTON, and there are strong reasons why some
| other fund should be applied for small mess
necessaries.
1t cannot be denied that there are features in
the system by which company funds are raised
and expended that are open to objection. The
men have no option as to the disbursement of
| the fund which with reason they deem their
| own.
| PAY AND ALLOWANCE.
Much stress has been laid on the paw and al
| lowances of enlisted men. I submit that for a
man who win devote himself to q service like
this, take himself away from the pleasures of
the outside world, devote his whole lifetime to
| MS profession, the pay Is not near, nay il IL
not half, what the same amount of energy and
/ application would receive in the ordinary bust
| ness walks Of Life.
THE RETIRED LIST.
What generosity 10 there in enlisting Young.
healthful man, running him for thirty wears
through all the hArdships which Q United
States soldier has to endure, and IL NO nm
friendly or friendly bullet strike his name from
the roll. place him in his old age and senility
Tor two or three months, or years, on . retired
list? Yet the disinserested many are loud in
their praises Of our bountifuI government. a
simple barter Of the spring and summer time
| OF life that the winter may be cheered with the
feeble rays Of the candle which may be
purchased BY the retrement pay! II the
bill were framed so o. to enable a soldier
after tventy-one or even twenty-five years
service TO share its provisions, perhaps he
would Live long enough TO bless the generosity
that hghtsned the march to his last camping
place, but as it is, It 10 very doubtful which
would be the more generous, to retire him after
thirty years service or 70 have the unfortunate
invalid shot
The STAR has ever been willing 10 open its
columns to the many who, through that me-
dunn, seek to reach the military authorities and
the public at large, and for that reason q vel
as IN justice to the enlisted men space y asked
for the vievs Of kruxSrx.
Two SOnnets.
L