New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-05-21
FOR BENEFIT OF ENLISTED MEN,
Some Suggestions Which Might Prove of
Practical Service if Adopted.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir; For the benefit of many enlisted men I would
like TO offer few suggestions. which. IL adopted.
would assist in making their service more enjoyable
to themselves and satisfactory to their country. A
young man having fancy for the army or the
navy closes a contract to serve his country for
period Of years. He does this with OF doing
patriotic act. His anticipations regarding his
work as soldier sailor that there will be
variety Of drills. theoretical instruction. tar
get practice. setting up exercises and little recrea-
tion-in fact, that his time will be fully and use
fully employed. The recruit is confined for about
month at his pos. yard. until he has taken the
elementary course in military training. He finds.
to Eis surprise that each day he has several hours
in which he can do nothing except loaf He can be
Of no himself, for at those hours the library
is available and he is OF no use to the service
When he has advanced in the service he finds that
the routine still has period OF waiting as a part
of it, These daily periods of enforced idleness aid
materially the soldier sailor who has any ten
dency in that direction to become dissatisfied. The
conversation of the veterans is not always enter
tanning Of value to the recruit. and this adds 20
the tedium of the unemployed hours. When the
recruit secures his first leave he feels happy but
his JOY is quite often dampened by the discOurtesy
shown him by civilians. II is exhibited in refusals
to sell him theatre tickets and in charges higher
than those TO other patrons for meals at certain
classes OF restaurants. ETC.
The efficiency Of the enlisted men would be great
ly improved and there would be decrease in de-
sertons. II the days routine altered TO elimi-
nate these unoccupied hours and the method Of
furnishing the man who becomes intoxicated was
changed. An enlisted returning to his post or
ship in highly intoxicated condition is court
tailed and eventually discharged. The discharge
means much to him, especially II he has served IN
the army through several terms of enlistment and
has only few years to remain in order to secure
retirement pension. Not only would the pension be
lost but the man who had been deprived OF his
profession would be obliged in civil life to begin
his career all over again. Instead OF this extreme
punishment for drunkenness. would suggest that
the intoxicated soldier sailor be arrested and IL
! found guilty be punished by withholding portion
Of his pay for a certain period. the amount with
held being placed TO his credit and given to him at
| the expiration Of his term OF enlistment.
| Men failing to improve should be assigned dis
! culinary companies where duties would keep them
constantly busy especially at the hours which they
were accustomed to spend at the saloons. These
companies should be commanded by officers pos
sessing the confidence OF the and the qualities
Of justness strictness Of discipline and kind heart
edness. During their first two three months Of
service the recruits ought TO be attached these
companies also. in order learn the elementary les
of discipline. The members OF these companies
| should be kept continually occupied from morning
till night At the conclusion of the days duties
would suggest that they spend their evenings read
ing the Constitution OF the United States and his
tory and learning the geography of our country
and the world. There might also be lectures
subjects OF general interest by men qualified TO
speak upon them. The Of the time in this way
would not only lessen the desire of the men to
lounge around drinking places. but would increase
their value citizens and fighters and enable them
TO gain the respect OF their fellow citizens in civil
life. OF course, the man who became intoxicated
while on duty should be court martialed as under
the present code
would punish deserters in different manner
than at present. also. Harsh treatment of a
for breach Of contract desertion il is called
in military language. is likely lead crime.
deserter is usually good workman the trade by
which he earned a livelihood before entering the
army navy. DeSertiOn is easy for him. because
of his confidence in his ability TO make his living
outside of the service. For this reason. IL for no
other. he ought to be treated less harshly than
present. Instead of confinement a combination
of laziness and hard labor inside of prison walls
would suggest that he be punished conditiOnaly
only. and detailed for specified period TO the dis
culinary company mentioned
VICTOR PERRIGNY.
Webster Mass. May - 1906