The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-08-17
MORE DESERTERS IN ARMY
ALL CLASSES AFFECTED
Decline of Martial Spirit Re-
sponsible Mainly for
Trouble.

The number of men who desert
from the army is large, and the fact
constitutes serious factor in our
military establishment to-day. No To-
cality is especially favored, no section
Of the country is immune; it is every
where present, and being on the in
crease must continue to be a matter
Of utmost concern until remedied.
Why then do so many soldiers re-
gard their oaths so lightly and honor
the flag Of their country to SO slight
q degree? asks writer in the Out
look. This question has yet to be an
swered satisfactorily, and in place Of
holding this evil in check it seems to
be growing each year and to be aoso-
lutely general throughout the army.
1t must be understood from the first
that the army is primarily an Ameri-
can institution, with good old Anleri-
can names furnishing the bulk Of the
muster rolls, for nowhere Is the great
Influx Of foreigners less noticeable so
that the problem is essentially an
American problem, and not one
brought over with the Socialists of
Europe.
The soldier is, as q rule, a, clean,
self-respecting man, and few are In
herently bad, and they do come, not
withstanding opinions to the contrary
from the better class Of young Ameri-
cans.
Desertions, then are not confined to
| the worst element In the army alonei
it takes toll both from the good and
the bad, seemingly without rhyme or
reason, and in the great majority OF
cases without causation from within.
The experienced captain of twenty
years service may lose as many men
as the young lieutenant fresh from
the Point or from the ranks; the best
disciplined companies and regiments
drop as many as others in which the
standard is not so high. Nevertheless
there is a certain proportion Of deser-
tions caused by the soldier hiself fore
ING ont undesirable characters; but
to-day this forms a small minority.
In a general discussion of the caus-
es Of desertion from influences with
out the army it is at once apparent
that a high place must be given 20
Iimpatience of restraint 80 characters
Itic Of the present generation OF young
Americans
There has been a marked decline IN
martial spirit of the American peo-
nile. No one can doubt this if close
ANALYSIS is made of the class OF men
with few exceptions, who are volun-
Iteering for the army to-day, and who
did SO during the war with Spain and
the consequent Philippine insurrec-'
ltion,
There were some true and patriotic
Americans ready for service any
where in 1898; there were many 9TH
4 ers who volunteered with strings and
Iothers who sought special organiEa-
tons, such. as the Rough Riders and
Volunteer Cavalry, but the greater
majority of citizens did not offer their
lservices because, as they expressed
this truth, others would, and others
aid to the extent required.
The decline of martial spirit direct
llv causes assertions by depriving the
Iarmy of type of men who in the past
constituted splendid class Of nom
commissioned officers and who were
lin every respect excellent, reliable and
sticking soldiers.
1t has never been demonstrated that
any soldier ever deserted for the sim
gle reason of harsh or Ill treatment
on the part Of his officers and this
lcannot be considered as one Of the
potent causes for desertion. Within
the army there are undoubtedly rea-
Isons why men become dissatisfied and
the amount of pay received when
compared to the standard Of civil life
lis small, and under present condi-
ltions inadequate.
Double the pay and desertions
would probably drop off, simply be-
lcause higher grade Of men would
be attracted to the service; treble it
land they would cease entirely. That,
however, cannot be expected under
present conditions.
The old soldier of years Of service
is the best Judge of causes and effects
within the armyS and ask any one of
them what is the greatest single
cause for desertions, and he will an
swer without question, the abolition
of the canteen, the loss of the sol
diers' club. With the canteen there