The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-25
a Reward for Desertion.

The military authorities have been en-
gagged in a desperate effort TO reduce the
percentage Of desertIons from the army
They have established better methods Of
obtaining recruits and exercised greater
care in the selection OF enlisted men.
There has also been adopted a method
Of pursuit in the case Of deserters. so
that the civil authorities aid in the ap-
prehension of these offenders. Special
instructions have, from time to time.
ing for an adequate punishment Of those
deserters who are apprehended BY this
combination Of circumstances. desertion
IS impressed upon the soldiers as a verb
table crime. from the punishment of
which they are not likely 10 escape. BY
this process desertion is discouraged in
a very practical way.
It IS a surprise, therefore. and some
thing Of a discouragement to the military
administration to observe that a court
composed of junior officers at Fort Por-
ter. y. Y. imposed so light sentence
as six months confinement and forfeit
ure Of pay for that period in the case
of a soldier who was in deserton for
nearly a year, or until he was appre-
hended and brought back to military
jurisdiction. This has led the reviewing
authority. Brig. Gen. Howe. at Governors
Island, 20 censure the court. to whom
the case had been returned for a more
fitting sentence. The court, as is usual
in such cases. adhered to its original
finding and Gen. Howe was led to re-
mark:
The War Department has adorted
certain policies in regard 10 deserters.
and officers Of the army. when called upon
IN their official capacity to act there
under. should do so in a loyal and subor-
dinate spirit. This court took an ILL
advised position, and in pride Of opinion
maintained It upon revision: so that the
reviewing authority is now placed in the
embarrassing situation Of passing sem
tence upon an enlisted man awarded by
court unwilling to do their fun duty.
II this court was stationed at a post
whore conditions would permit Il would
be at once dissolved and another court
instituted. The reviewing authorities
hope that the members, upon reflection
will see the necessity for different action
IN future cases"
Il will be appreciated that il military
courts are to exercise lenIency when a
deserter comes before them. IL will be
impossible to give the necessary dis
couragement TO desertion. While there
may be mitigating circumstances some
times which should be taken into consid-
GRAFTON in imposing a sentence for de-
sertiOn, it is safe TO say that. as 4
general policy, it is proper to impose a
severe sentence in the case Of a man who
is in desertion for nearly wear. and
who had to be apprehended. instead OF
voluntarily returning before his case
could become the object Of the necessary
military discipline. The disapproval by
the reviewing authority in this case is
fully justified. The army officers who
compose the courts which deal with de
serters must do their part in establishing
an enduring impression that desertion
is crime not to be lightly passed over
and made to appear as an inconseouen-
tial infraction OF some perfunctory serv-
leo regulation. The soldier who Is dis