St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-16
OESERTIoNs FROM THE ARMY
Gen. SchOfield suggests Several
Remedies for the T. vii.

Gen. SchOfieId uggests Several
Remedies for the f. vii.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 15.-The annual
report of Maj. Gen. Schofield, command
ing the army, to the secretary of war,
was made public to-day. He pays spe-
cial attention to the deSertiOn question.
He says:
The causes of discomfort, which lead to de-
sertiun from the army are numerous. They
have been sought for diligently fer years,and
many of tho M have been removed. Some OF
them are probably beyond the reach of any
remedy. One Of these is the naturally dis
contented disposition of the men, who are
led by that feeling alone to seek change
from the monotony of bread-win1ing in
any civil pursuit; by entering the sup
posed less arduous service OF the
United States. When such men find that
soldiers. no less than civilians. must work.
their feelings Of discomfort return and they
resort to the only means by which they can
make another change. These men rarely
desert when engaged in an active campaign.
however great the hardShips and privation
or severe tie discipline may be. 1t Is the
ordinary labor and routine of military duties
which insl ire them with discomfort These
causes of deSerliOn cannot be removed. The
troops cannot be kept constantly in active
military campaign. nor can they be exempted
from the
AONUION1 OE hOUTlNE DUTIES
and labor. The government cannot employ
hired laborers tn do the work which the
troops have time to do for themselves 1t
would seem that some kind Of probationary
system might be devised by which the
unit element among recruits could
be eliminated without resort to the
crime of desertion. 1t does not seem neres-
sary that men he required in time of peace to
bind themselves absolutely five years. A
sufficient remedy NAV perhaps be found In
the case OF all worthy men who find af er a
few months trial, that thew have. mistaken
their calling, by a more liberal exercise of
the power to discharge soldiers upon their
own application than has ever heretofore
prevailed. Great care i'll the recruiting Serv-
Ice. to prevent the enlistment of men of had
character and habits, may be found practical
bic. Measures having these ends in view
have already been instituted. Also greater
care in the treatment of recruits by officers
and nOn-commissioned officers The records
OF desertiOn from different organizations
leave no room for doubt of the fact that the
character OF the commanding officer has
much To do with the extent of the evil In
some few instances. it appears that captains
are in the habit of leaving the care and dis
cipline of their men to the first seargent. and
other non-eommisSioned officers, without
that constant supervision and control which
the captain should exercise. In all such
cases the captain
SHOULD BE PROMPTLY REMOVED
from the command which he SO seriously
neglects. After all possible had been done
TO remove reasonable excuses for desertion,
1t still remains true that the means now pro-
vided for the arrest and punishment of de-
serters are wholly inadequate. Only one in
Eve is ever captured. This is not sufficient
to defer men from committing crime The
remedy IS TO authorize civil officers TO arrest
deSerters and increase the reward so as to
Compensate them for their service There
is no need to increase the penalty for deser-
lion, but to make some penalty at least prob
able, which il is not now"
Gen. SehOheld recommends that the
present five regiments of artillery be
organized into seven regiments. the Or
ganiZation to remain the same. except
that there shall be one first lieutenant
to battery. He also recommends that
the enlisted strength of the army be in
creased TO $4,000, which would supply
the force necessary for the proposed re-
organization of the artillery and the in
fantry, as well as giving more margin
for recruits under instruction, He
wants the infantry regiment to consist
of three battaliOnS. aggregating twelve
companies. as in the cavalry. He sug-
geStS that hereafter promotions. from
the grade of second lieutenant to that
of colonel in the cases of all officers
who are not now above the lowest
grade, should be made according to
SENIORITY OF COMMISSION.
In the arm Of the service to which the
officer belongs, and not, as now, in part.
by regiments. He further suggests that
hereafter, officers be commissioned in
the arm of the service to which they be-
long, and not in particular regiments,
SO that they may be assigned to regi-