Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-11-29

cises the men have been put through
daily, and almost invariably follow
ing tiresome drill duty. Instead Of
one hour of this they will now be
given but half an hour. The weekly
practice marches have been reduced
TO monthly tramps, and the common
labor done for years about army posts
by the enlisted men is to be reduced
To the minimum. Congress is to be
urged To grant an appropriation for
civilian laborers 70 do this work.
This Is labor that is contended by the
men that has absolutely nothing to
do with their soldierly duties. and
their protests have been loud and
long. one of the most frequent
grounds for dissatisfaction, In addi-
ton TO the smallness of the pay, is
found in the frequent moves to which
the various commands are subjected.
These entail almost invariably a
change of uniform and in some in
stances they have occurred so often
that the men have found nothing
looming to them above their uniform
account when pay day arrived. one
regiment has changed nineteen times
since April, 1908, n has Travelled
more than 1000 miles. while a num-
Der of other regiments have travel
records of more than 10000 miles.
The general prosperity of the coun-
try, the higher wages paid in every
line of commercial effort and the gen-
eral scarcity of labor, especially of
skilled artisans, are declared to be
among the great causes of the deple-
ton Of the ranks, for hundreds of en-
listed men who do not desert buy
their discharges yearly. The army, ii
is claimed. has become a mere APP
prentice school for the trades and any
mar who has served a term n ac-
CURED a good conduct certificate a
Immediately secure civil employment
at wages from three to six times that
which the government pays its sol
diers. A striking example of the de-
pletion of the army from these Vari-
Gus causes was given when the
Seventh infantry attended the McKin-
ley memorial exercises at Canton. The
entire regiment of twelve companies
as ordered to Canton should have
been about 1,20O strong. AS a matter
of fact. the twelve companies and the
band we're represented by only 400
men while one company could mus
ter only ten men fit for duty. Some
companies today, theoretically of 100
men. are represented by actual or
CARNATIONS Of fourteen or fifteen pri-
Yates. A colonel of infantry In Ne
braska recently renorted to the de-
partment that in the vicinity of his
post ordinary farm hands were re-
ceiving from $50 to $50 a month and
board. which snakes the $1S a month
of the enlisted men appear pittifully
small. MANY Of his men left the serv-
ice and obtained good positions as en-
gineers, clerks, statesmen, linemen,
firemen. conductors, etc, at salaries
of not less than s75 a month. Five
men recently purchased their dis
at a Texas post n at once
stepped into positions paving them
from $50 to S175 a month. 1t has
come to the departments knowledge
that i'm very many cases the managers
of business enterprises size up the
bright men in the service advance
them the money with which to buy
their discharges and give them re-
munerative employment. Especially
is this true of the electricians and
others possessed of technical knowl-
edge. At one coast defense post the
men were thoroughly trained In the
use of electricity, the telephone, given
a course in practical line work, insula-
ton. etc. No sooner had they become
proficient than a n~eighboring tele-
offered every man In
work at from $50 to SIS
a month with opportunities for mate
rial increases. At Preside In san
every artillervman has
been Informed that If he VIII leave the
service he can have a place at once
from SIS to 500 a month.
These are the conditions that con-
front the war department. lllustra-
tions such as these given could be