The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-22
Do They Protest:

The New York sun, commenting on t7e
difficulties in the way Of mastering out
those of the volunteer regiments not
needed. now that the war is ended. says:
The President is meeting much embar-
r8ssment iu pursuing the policy OF mus
tering out volunteer organizations ia or
der TO reduce the volunteer force 10 the
sma Ter proportions so obviously sufficient
for our present necessities. The regime lts
which suspect that they have been select
ed for. such discharge. more especially
those which nave remained IN home
camps during the war and have had no
chance TO participate IN the dangers, the
hardshps, and the glOries OF active cam
paiguine are fun Of resentment and cry
ont against their rate. They want at
least an opportunity 20 go to our new
possessions as a part of the armies Of oc-
cupation.
We are not ready to admit that the
foregoing is altogether correct. We have
no doubt that the men in the volunteer
regiments entered the service from purely
patriotic motives, but we are not 50 sure
that they want to stay in the service
now that the war is ended. Indeed. we
have some grounds for thinking that the
great majority of them would like TO be
honorabIy discharged. so that they could
return to their homes.
Within the last day or two we have re-
ceived two letters from members
of regiment at Camp Chicka-
manga. an which the writer's de
clered that about all Of the men of the
regiment were very anxious to be
mustered out. They said that they
were willing to remain in the
service just as long as there was any
fighting to be done. but that they did not
want to do garrison duty; besides the
writer's Of the letters said that they had
interests at home which demanded their
attention. They further declared that the
officers as rule, wanted to remain in tho
service, because they were getting better
wages than they could earn at home. The
letters also contained the statement that
several petitions had been started by the
private soldiers asking the Secretary of
War to muster out the regiment but that
the officers had discovered them and
threatened to have those attempting to
circulate such petitions court marualed.
We do not know whether these letters
expressed the sentiment Of the regiment
saying that they were afraid to sign them
believing that they would be severely dealt
with if it should become known to the
officers that they had written to the news
pspers on such a subject.
one reason for thinking that there is a
strong sentiment in some of the regiments
in favor of being mustered out at once
is that when the question was put to the
men of the Chatham Artillery as to
whether they wanted to be mustered out
all but two of the command voted in the
affirmative. Would it not be a good plan
10 submit the question to the privates,
rather than to the officers, as to whether
it is the desire of a regiment to con-
tinue in the service? We refer, Of course.
only 10 those regiments which the Presi-
dent is thinking of mastering out and
which are represented by their officers as
being indignant at the thought of being
! sent home without having had a chance
to meet the enemy or to do garrison duty.
! The regiments might answer the question
In way that would relieve the President
/ of any embarrassment