The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-08
probation FOR RECRUITS.
Letting Them Go n They no Not Like
Army Life.

| Army Lie.
WASHINGTON, May Innovations are
numerous Just now in our military establish
ment and Of recent experiments the most re-
| markable has been the one which permits re-
| cruits who do not like the service TO leave 1t
without more ado. In place Of taking the
risks Of dsgraceiul deserton they mako a
statement that they are quite sure soldering
| will not suit them, and obtain an honorable
| dismissal Probably this is one reason why a
| gratifying decrease In the number OF deser-
| lions has been reported during the last month
or two. since much Of the deserting is done at
the recruiting stations Certainly man
would be fool to go of by stealth, risktnG
arrest and Imprisonment. when by written
| application containing his reasons he could
| march out with the honors OF war.
Still all this is a little startling to old nottons.
| The traditional plan for generations has been.
| when once the recruit is secured and has taken
| the oath. to consider him fixture. He could
| be dishonorably discharged as worthless. or In
rare cases the influence Of friends could pro-
| euro his discharge. But In general the pros
| pect before him was five years OF an occupa-
| tion which might be most distasteful. unless
he should escape It by dssertion. But now.
after he has been in tho service ut the recruit
ing station a specified time, he can have his
release II he wants II.
1t must be acknowledged that advantage fas
been taken of this liberal provision to q rather
notifying as well as troublesome extent At
Jefferson Barracks for example. the outpour-
ing of recruits under this invitation to escape
has been SO great that the question how to
procure the needed mon for the army while
such an arrangement goes on becomes serious.
Some of these men might have he'd to their
engagement having once entered upon it. and
have become gradually used to the restraints
and eXactions Of the military life: but they
jumped at the chance Of honorable escape thus
thrown open 10 them.
The new experiment, In short, has made an
!unpromising start, and Ierhaps the authorl::
ties will conclude that It must be modified IL
not altogether abandoned. And yet 1t is found
ed on common sense. Everybody admits that
not only demoralizing to tho troops to find so
many OF their comrades escaping with impu-
e Gy GG I s from t6G Of
last year. Il has been found. however that the
sertlon occurs during the first year Of service.
that Is to say among recruits. Young men
they are doing, and fnd that they have
lads to the recruiting office. They are ANXIOUS
TO escape the restraints Of home. or have
had Iuarrels with family and friends. or have
become, involved in business or love affairs. or
change; Sometimes they have used up their
money M, in prolonged, spree and have immedi-
ute uocuS Vi IOOu ana clOtDlDR. But Wlel the
first pressure OF the impulse which drove them
to enlist Is gone they find, or fancy that they
are not suited To the military life: and then the
prospect OF five years OF Its routine and re-
straints becomes almost intolerable. They are
determined to escape from it. and persuade
themselves that they were enlisted under false
nretences. or that the contract has been
violated.
The theory Of the new experiment Is that 1t
is better to have such men out of the army
than In 1t: that 1t is better to allow them to go
OF their own accord than to have them desert.
So far as anything appears to the contrary,
this theory has not been disproved by the
brief trial given to It Only when the gain in
the infrequency Of assertions during long
period Is compared with the number Of cases
In which recruits have received discharges on
application can the facts be properly ascer-
tanned. Probably. however, there might be an
improvement in the mode Of carrying out this
system The term of probation might be
shorter. since the recruit can much earlier
md out whether the military life suits him.
Having received one opportunity to retract
could fairly ask would be furnished through
the, new system of discharge by purchase
which Is very likely TO be established by Con-
gross. In this system tho Government only
remunerates itself for expenses laid out on the
soldier in trans portation and so on.
But the great hope Of the future. both in de-
creasing desertions and in securing better
liberation In recruiting. The now plan OF pay
ing less attention to the great cities and OF |
opening recruiting stations for particular regi- |
ments year inter yaRr in smaller towns or |
rural districts. whore the characters and ante |
ccdents OF the men are known. and whore they |
Will have old acguaintances with them in the |
same company Is the most promising Of tho |
recent eNDerimantS.