Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-07-19
DECENTRALIZATION IN THE ARM
Some OF the Effects of the Anti. .Canteen
Policy.


Policy.
The Chicago Chronicle of a late date
speaking of desertions, says: "Scores
OF soldiers will not answer roll CAL 1t
Fort Sheridan this morning, and the
celebration of pay day yesterday at this
post-the fifth since the .anti-canteen
law went into effect-demonstra
that many recruits as we'll as veterans
have taken French leave of the army.
Drunkenness seemed more general
even than last month, and among the
crowds Of men in blue who besieged
the saloons Of Highwood there we're
many who openly declared their in
tention to desert the service. Not
only are deser,ions on the increase at
Fort Sheridan, but at every army post
in the United States and island pos
sessions, according to government re-
ports. From Fort Sheridan alone the
desertions have averaged more than
twenty-five every month since Febru-
AIRY. Last month, while the investigat-
ing committee Of ministers was maxi
ing inquiries at the fort and vicinity,
men who wore the blue Of Uncle Sam
we're leaving the post in squads to
take off their uniforms in some se-
cluded place, exchange them for dis
guises and flee from the restraints of
army life to return no more. These
scenes were repated yesterday and Of.
ficers at the fort say that if the move
meut spreads it will not be long ere
the ranks will be thinned as though a
plague had struck the barracks.
twenty-five dssertions q month for
one year make 800 deserters. Three
hundred deserters from every regiment
in the regular army, now numbering
100,0 900 men, would make the total
nearly 25,O0O, or the entire former
strength OF the standing army. Fort
Sheridan officers do not like to give
out figures on desertions, but the men
themselves are willing enough to tell
how many Of their comrades have
gone. And there'll he thirty-five or
forty more gone this month"; said a
member Of Company H of the Twenty
ninth Infantry. Four men out OF
our company left last pay day and six
out of the company next to ours, Com
pany G. They cannot stand camp
life these days. If it wasn't for the
disgrace Of it and the fact that my
mother is living I'd 60, too Major
Lord, Paymaster, paid out $4,000 to
l ,379 men yesterday. OF the number,
l,l91 belong to the Twenty.ninth
regiment. The others are members of
battery d Of the Fifth artillery. The
size Of the commands is due to the
constant recruiting, without which it
would be impossible to maintain the
strength. Most Of the soldiers money
was in the hands of Highwood,
Waukegan and Chicago saloonkeepers
before midnight. One hundred men
came to Chicago on the 7 o'clock
train last evening. So crowded were
tho eight Highwood saloons during
the afternoon and night that at times
it was not possible to reach the bar.
Alderman Gibbs place did thriving
business. Fights were frequent, and
so far as learned there were no attempts
at murder, as on the May payday.
The woods near the fort were full OF
drunken soldiers, some of them asleep,
the easy prey of thieves who
throng the vicinity Of the post on
such occasions. Gambling was being
carried on under the trees. 1t was a
common thing to see a soldier who
had lost his entire months pay at
craps, poker or roulette. Sergeant Of
the Guard Schmitz and his men we're
busy all night putting drunken and
disorderly comrades in the round
house. The Sergeant said he believed
more than half the enlisted men we're
drunk.