The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-11-26
ARMY DEScRTloNs.

ARMY DEScRIlONS.
Sioux Falls Press: The report OF
Acknowledgement Ainsworth shows
that about 5 per cent of the troops OF
the regular army deserted in the last
fiscal year. Possibly the recruiting
officers are somewhat to blame for
this very undesirable condition. They
are anxious to make as good showing
as possible and perhaps not as frank
with the young men applying for en-
listment as they should be- There
would probably be fewer enlistments
If every possible recruit were told the
truth about regular army life, its
hardships and loneliness, the rigor of
It's discipline, the extra work and
study involved, the weary round of
drill. 1t is more than suspected that
recruiting officers dwell more fire.
quently and eloquently upon the care
free life of the soldier and the posi-
bilities of promotion to some sinecur-
al rank, than they do on the hardships
and tedium Of military life.
With fewer enlistments the war de-
partment would have to devise some
way OF filling the regular army ranks,
but 1t has that problem to face the
present time. Ninety-tive per cent of
the present enlistment with no de-
sertions to speak Of, would leave the
army as we'll supplied as it is now with
five per cent of.desertions. Moreover
1T Is manifestly a bad thing for the
army to lose SO many men by deser-
tion and it lisa very bad thing for five
Thousand young men to get into the
criminal class every year through the
medium of the standing army. 1t is
conceivable that desertion from the
army may be more disease than
a criminal intention. a severe
case of homesickness will lead a
young man, otherwise upright, to
steal away from the weary life he is
leading at some military post. Ac-
customed to freedom of action he
does not consider it a serious crime to
throw Off the irksome restraint. HAY
ing deserted, however, he finds him
self a fugitive from justice, and brand
ed with the harsh name deserter. The
tendency is for him to enter career
of crime.
All this as very regretable and con-
trary to good public policy. Every
young man applying for enlistment
should be treated with the utmost
frankness. He should be warned that
he must be prepared for exactly the
conditions that he will meet. At the
present time a large part of the rou-
tine duties of army life are kept up
merely to keep the men busy and pre-
vent them from becoming dissatisfied.
This plan may partially attain the
object sought, but frequently the rou-
tine is monotonous as inaction it.
self. Something must be done to
make army life more attractive and
1t is doubtful If the establishment
of the army canteen would accom-
plish the desired end. Reports of
army officers that there are less de
sertions where the army canteen is in
vogue must be believed, but permits
sion to drown his. sorrows in the mug
is a poor waytto make a good soldier.
The desire to drink is undoubtedly
fostered and even created by the mon
otonous life led. There should be
something better to take its place. A
few hours a day spent in some pleas
antsconstructive work would surely
be preferable to endless drill and
guard duty. Courses, Of instruction
in something besides the manual of
arms might help to make life more
bearable. These are problems which
the war department. must solve, but
the theory Of General Ainsworth that
only severe penalty will stop deser-
tion is hardly the right one from a
humanitarian point Of view at least.
Rather would 1t stop enlistments ard
result in still further thinning the
ranks. s5z
WHAT THB KIDNEYS do.
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