The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-12-18
ARMY MAY RESORT
TO CONsCR|P7|ON
U. S. War Department Exercised
Over Lack of Recruits.
PROBLEM GROWING SERIOUS
More Pay, Consumption or No Men,
~ Says the Annual Report of Adjt.-
Gen. Ainsworth - Suggestions
For Lvring Recruits.


For LIring Recruits.
Washington, D. C.-Another eTi-
dence that there is something wrong
with the army is contained in the
annual report of Major-GeReral Aims
worth, Adjutant-General of the army.
He shows that the authorized enlist
ed strength of the army on October
Is last was 69,S61, exclusive of the
Porto Rican provisional regiment and
the Philippine scouts, while the &C
tual number of enlisted men in the
army on the same date was only
5O,190, or nearly 10000 less than
the authorized strength. On October
is, 1906, the deficiency was only
1880. The 3400 enlisted men OF the
hospital corps are not included IN
the number given. General Aims
worth says that the falling off in
strength is due to the fact that It
was impossible to obtain enlistments
and re-enlistments sufficient to fill
the places vacated by men separated
from the service by expiration OF
their term of enlistment, and other
causes.
Commenting upon this situation,
General Ainsworth says that If some
thing is not done to improve the
situation it may be necessary to re-
sort to CONSUMPTION. Upon this sub
ject he says:
Notwithstanding efforts on the
part of the War Department and the
recruiting officers and their parties in
all parts of the country, it has been
found impossible wholly to make
good the losses occurring in the pres
ent strength of the army, to say
nothing of increasing that strength
to the limit authorized by law and
executive order.
The Government in its efforts to
procure men for the army is now COM
peting everywhere with private en-
ployers who are able to offer men
much greater inducements than the
Government now offers, at least in
the matter of pay. If present condi-
tions continue there will be nothing
for the Government to do but to meet
this competition by materially in
creasing the soldiers pay or to evade
these competitions altogether by. a
resort to conscription."
AS to the causes for this state OF
affairs, the adjutant-general says they
are the same to considerable ex-
tent as those which lead to desertlon.
During the last fiscal year there were
1922 desertions-5.6 per cent. OF the
army-as against IA per cent. dur
ing the preceding year. Reasons for
the decrease are not difficult to ind,
according to the report. They are, in
brief, the substitution Of confinement
in the military prison at Fort Leaven-
worth for confinement at military
posts, as punishment for desertion;
the discontinuance of final enlist
ments at recruiting stations, with the
resulting elimination Of the large per-
centage Of men who were reasonably
certain to desert within few days
after enlistment under the old sys-
tenn; and the other reasons, already
referred to, which prevent the full re-
cruitment of the ormy. These are:
The low rate of pay, as compared
with that obtaining in civil life; dis
satisfaction with the hard work OF
practice marches, drills and the Ia
tigue duties necessary to keep post
In good condition; the abolition OF
the canteen; failure Of recruits to
appreciate the obligations Of con-
tract, and their ignorance of the
character of the crime of desertion;
frequent changes Of company omcers,
due to a shortage Of officers, and the
lack of experienced. capable, we'll
paid and satisfied non-commissioned
officers. The report states that the
means for the removal of most or
these causes are obvious, and are
to a considerable extent beyond the
control of the War Department, in
that it will require legislation by
Congress, both to increase the pay
and to restore the canteen.