The Republican., 1890-07-11
ENLISTMENT ON TRIAL.
Permitting Recruits to Leave the Army
If They Find Army Lite Distasteful.

Permitting Recruits to Leave the Army
If They Find Army Lite Distasteful.
Innovations are numerous just now in
our military establishments, and OF
recent experiments the most remarkable
has been the one which permits recruits
who do not like the service to leave it
without more ado. In place of taking
the risks of disgraceful desertion they
make statement that they are quite
sure soldering will not suit them, and
obtain an honorable dismissal. 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 procure
his discharge. But in general the pros
pect before him was five years of an
occupation which might be most dis
tasteful, unless he should escape it by
deSertion. But now, after he has been
in the service at the recruiting station a
specified time, he can have his release
if he waits it.
1t must be acknowledged that advan-
tage has been taken of this liberal
provision to rather mortifying as we'll
as troublesome extent. At jefferson
Barracks, for example, the outpouring
of recruits under this invitation to es-
cape has been so great that the question
how to procure the needed men for the
army while such an arrangement goes
on becomes serious. Some of these men
might have held 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 to them.
The new experiment, in short, has
made an unpromising start, and perhaps
the authorities will conclude that it
must be modified, if not altogether
abandoned. Every body admits that
the greatest of army evils is desertion.
1t is not only demoralizing to the troops
to find so many of their comrades escap-
ing with impunity, but it is costly, from
the expenses of recruiting, transporta-
ton, clothing, and so on, where more
than $500 desert, as was the case last
year. 1t has been found, however, that
the greater part of the enormous drain
from desertion occurs during the first
year of service. All sorts of notions
drive lads to the recruiting Office. They
are anxious to escape the restraints of
home, or have had quarrels with family
and friends, or have become involved in
business or love affairs, or are restless
and pleased with the notion of a change.
The theory of the new experiment is
that it is better to have such men out of
the army than in it; that it is better to
allow them to go of their own accord
than to have them desert So far as
any thing 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 desertions
during long period is compared with
the number of cases in which recruits
have received discharges on application,
can the facts be properly ascertained.
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 find out whether the mill
tary life suits him. Having received
one opportunity to retract shortly after
his enlistment, all else that he could
fairly ask would be furnished through
the new system of discharge by pur-
chase which is very likely to be estab-
lished by Congress In this system the
Government only remunerates itself for
expenses laid out on the soldier in
transportation and so on.
But the great hope of the future, both
in decreasing desertions and in secur-
ing better class of men, is through
more care and deliberation in recruit
ing. The new plan of paying less atten-
tion to the great cities and of opening
recruiting stations for particular regi-
ments year after year in smaller towns
or rural districts, where the characters
and antecedents of the men are known,
and where they will have old acquaint-
ances with them in the same company,
is the most promising of the recent ex-
Observation-Disclosures Cor. n. Y. Sun.