The sun., 1910-11-18

blue embossed official stationery. at
tn. centre of tn" rptunda. immediately
under the majestic dome
Fewer D->ertion> From th- Army.
In the part of his admirable report
IN which he deals with desert IONS from
the army AdJutant General + 4. AIMS
WORTH sets down thlr'v-tive organiAa-
tions companies and troopsl. with the.
names OF their officers, which did not
lose a single man during The fiscal year
ended June ~. 1910. II seems 10 MS that
this is n roll Of honor. and at the sam
time IN some measure an example to
IN the army. General AINswoRTH also
gives the companies, troops and bat =
reries which had the highest desert ion
ratios. but he does not publish the
names Of their officers II is 10 be OBJ
served that In the first list no field artil-
there are four companies of coast artil-
lerv There are more desertlons rela-
rlNrlN from the field artillery than from
~" other branch OF tho service. the coast
.i"rv comes next, and then the hospi-
i'i corps. engineers, infantry and cav
airy IN that order.
There ~ much .nlgh,enlng and sug-
gestive detail on this subject in the
report. During the fiscal wear ended
June 81. 1910, there were S.+64 deser'ions
from the enlisted fore. Of The regular
army. which was ~ 6 per cent less than
the number of ,.eSertlonS i,.rIng the pre-
cedIng wear. Tin. perCer'ag. II u-'cr-
tions was o. in l9y9and2 ? ~ ~ 1919. TIE
regiments that showed rhs lowest pro-
portion Of deSertIo:- during 1910 wer. the
Iwenty-fnurth lEfautr.' and the Tenth
Cavalry. both negro organizations res
speCtlvely | - and 5? per cent among
the white troops in the army the per
Centage of desertiouS was 80, and
among the negro soldiers 81 Rela-
trvely there were more assertions in
July and August than IN any other
months. Ninety per cent. of all desert
ers We're Of native birth. but II should
be- said that 50 per cent Of the original
enlisfments during the last three years
We're Of men born IN the United S,atss
The five posts showing the highest per
centage of ,iesertions were. Boise bar
racks. Idaho. II 81: Fort Duchfs1. Itah.
II 10. Fort Meade. = d. So Fort Baker.
Cal. 95l. Fort Rnsecrans. Cal. s9A
The five posts having the fewest dessr-
tons Were: Forr Apache. Ariz.. IS per
cent Fort Fremont, = G.. o 50: Madison
barracks. y. Y. Is0. Fort Mason. Cal
-. and Fort Ontario, ~ Y. l5o An
old soldier with the first list before him
could tell us offhand whv iw posts are
unattrsctive TO the enlisted man and
it needs no old soldier to explain whv
For Apache has 80 small a percentage
~ deserters IL would probably bs
ont of the question 10 keep an organi-
zation whole and contented at Boise
barracks or Fort Duchesne. Obviously
some posts are desirable and others are
purgatory.
During the year 2.OGs deserters were
restored or were returned 20 military con-
troll through the circulation % photo
graphs and descriptions OF the men
absent from duty and offers of reward
for their apprehension. OF the number
i,7+s were tried by court-martiaI. 1899
being dishonorably discharged after
various terms Of Imprisonment. and s44
were retained in the service with little
or no punishment at all. About IS per
cent. Of the offenders to WHOM Ienlency
was shown deserted again at the first
opportunity. or six soldiers restored
to duty with only reprimand four
promptly deserted. General AINswoRrH
i inclined 20 think that leniency doesn't
pay. II has been recommended by some
observers, impressed bv the fact that
light punishments arc usually visited
upon deserters from the British army
But General AiSswoRTH saws
lI Is well understood by those Who .now ihe
facts that The reason Why desertiou l. treated 90
lenenty by the British army 1, b.cs4s. 10 occur,
80 infreauen'Iy and no, because Isul.rcy OF u-at.
nent Of des-rter- dinninishes d...ruor
The percentage of desertion from the
British army in the year ended Sep'em-
ber 30. 1909. was IS. Until very re-
Gently our War Department made no
systematic effort 10 apprehend deserters
and the number Of soldiers who left the
colors was rapidly bringing the service
into disrepute. ifnot into rdicue There
should be cle.nency only when there are
good grounds for 10. General ATSswoRrH
maintains Tho treatment of the de-
serter.' he says in conclusion. should
no, be governed either by vtndic,ive-
mesa toward him or bv weakly senti-
mental regard for his interest
The Cost Of the Triborough.