Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-05-21
Oesert|oas From Army and NAVY
Ten Per Cent Of Strength.
IS GROWING WORSE every YEAR
Causes Are Not Easily Defined-Many
Become Dissatisfied With the Small
Pay and Desert to Seek Employ
ment-Want to Make Service More

WASHINGTON. May 90 More
than ten thousand men have deserted
from Uncle Sams military and naval
service In the past year That Is
nearly ten per cent of the whole mum.
Der OF enlisted men in the army ana
navy. In the opinion of officers OF
both services who have investigated
the subject, the situation Is growing
worse rather than better.
Both Secretary Taft, I'm the war dc
partmcnt, and Secretary Metcalr in
the navy department. have given care.
full consideration TO the matter of de
sertions from the service, us have
the various executive officers of the
two departments. Tho causes arc
somewhat difficult to trace. In n
general way, 1t Is supposed that many
OF the enlisted men become dissatIs.
fied after they enter the service. he
cause they do not make enough mon.
ey. Throughout the country. timos
are good and the people arc ,nros.
porous. Men who are willing to worI;
have no difficulty in obtaining nnd
holding employment mt good wages
This is noted by the men I'm the mill.
taTy branches of the government
service, and they feel not naturally
perhaps. that they ought to be better
paid than they are by the govern
ment.
Not Treated Well by Some Officers.
1t Is pretty well settled however.
that The small pay, comparatively,
that the men in the army and navy
receive is not the only cause of their
dissatisfaction with the service. Some
OF them complain that they are rtt
wen treated by their officers. but this
complaint when made heretofore, has
not borne investigation. JnonirIes
made into the relations of tho officers
and enlisted men in both the army
ana navy Indicate generally that they
are very good. The men are tbcr.
onghly loyal as n rule, to fie officers
ahdthe officers, also MS rule do
everything they can to make the men
comfortable and satisfied.
The root OF the difficulty" soIo
an experienced naval officer. 'lles I'm
me TACT that many men enlist IN bOtb
me navy and army out of pioue
Perhaps they have had some family
,rolhle; perhaps they have lost good
positions through an indiscretion
rhese surmises might he extended TO
almost any length These men seek
the navy or the army I'm order 10
get away from themselves, so to
speak. After awhile they naturally
Income dissatisfied, because they mnv
not be adapted to the service Then
there Is class of young mon who
are attracted by the elamor of tho
military service. and they enlist IN
order that they may appear In .blue
and BRASS AS soon as the novelty
or the service wears off they wont
10 get away Tf they stick ont their
terms OF enlistment. those men oro
almost certain not to re.enlist. II ,s
the class Of men 7 have Indicate,
VINO desert from the navy and tho
army" ' '"'
Want It More Attractive.
An effort Is to he made to render
ne service In both the army and
navy more attractive than 1t is now
~ Is quite likely this effort will take
inc direction OF more pay for tho
ehhSted men. Thirteen dollars n
month and found" is not very
magnificent wage, particularly when
men of the sort that are accented
.or enlistment in either the army or
me navy easily can make. in these
times. from s12 to s25 week. II &c
problematical whether congress will
consent to advance the enlisted mems
nav. hut. In the opinion of the hest
informed officers in the service. II
VIII he necessary to do something to
maintain good CORDS OF enlisted
men, particularly in the navy. which
constantly has new shiDs coming into
commission which ought "a La .,,a..