The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-14
DEsKRTION IN rRS ARMY.


-
The point Of greatest interest IN tAs r,po-,
Of the Adjutane -dsnsral % the army % The
question Of assertion This b . matter o, A
particular Importance TO the public At arg.
lnasmuch a. the Adtufant-o ensrAl a,,rihu'ss
the great number 81 assertions 70 the fe~ M
Of the public ragardinG deasrtion IN general
He h perfectly right IN Shs conclusion The
average American citizen does not regard
seriously the deasrtsg's violation % his oa'h
Of service. and viii often aid him Ia sa~Ar,ns
from Justice Nearly 5000 men dess-'ad
last year. In the great Continental Arm,es
Of conscription assertions are very rare
Many causes have been given for dAs@r.
ton from the American army The ahoi.
ton Of the canfeen h. no doubt. a rr-a
cause. and one that aets Indirectly "a ~
az directly. n n impossible 70 oalcua'.
the amount Of evil 10 the army resulting
from this apparently simple cause. ami Il
cannot bs fully appreciated by any one hr,
an ofilcer In command % troops. nor n
readily made clear to any one m; come 4
with army life. because its workings are 20
intricate
Another cause Il the monOtony % CART.
son life. hut this cause itself h Anec'st ~
the absence OF the canteen. The can'csu
properly conducted. was q club for the IN.
listed men, where they obtained no'h'nR
stronger than beer. and only limited lusn.
tity 81 that mild beverage, and where he
men assembled and enjoyed thence .,
quietly and comfortably. thus coHnterar'.
ing To q great extent the monotony 81 III.
dier's life. The profits % the cante~n we're
used Co improve the soldiers fare and 'rls
varied the mohOtony % the army ration
Moreover. some Of the profits could be u'il.
tied for other benefits TO the men. such ~
smussmsnis ~ various kinds, which also
tended to relieve the monotony Of daily
routine The high wages paid In civil 's
In prosperous times, especially In regions
like the Northwest where laborers are no,
very plentiful. have undoubtedly tempted
enlisted men 70 desert. In his report The
Acknowledgement saws.
The principal cause OF the evils IN due.,ioa
lies deeper than any OF the causes commonly
assigned for them aad IL be yOnd the reach Of anT
Of the measures proposed. Our people. although
aggressive enough. are not Q military people
They have little real Interest IN the army In time
OF peaee and from the earliest days Of the repgs
lie they have been accustomed to iook upon 70
. more or less unnecessary Institution 'Aat
may be pared down with safety whcnsver Z
demand for retrenchment Of public eHpsns-,
ahsss Enlistment IN the army In time % psacs
Ia not uncOmmOnly regarded - evidence Of worth
ls=sness % the part Of TIRE recruit ard describes
IN guch q time IL generally looked upon - notA-
Ing more culpabis than the breach OF . civil ron.
trac, for service The deaerteT suffer- little Or
no loss Of caste by reason OF hts Offences. ana 10
seldom, without friends and sympaihisers 10 shiea
him from arrest aad TO intereede IN his tehAi
In the comparatively rare event % bic falling ats
the hands OF en- military authorities
There We have the greatest Of ell the
causes Of desertion. and no impro venenf
can be expected until public sentiment IN
this subject undersoes Q radical change
Part OF this feeling h due 70 the SCOT hat
many Of our ci,i1ene are not aware that
soldier on enlistment takes . solemn oath
to serve his country. and when he deserts
he violates that oath Rence n becomes Z.
the duty ~ all good citizens 10 cultivate
In our people . feeling that teserter la
Of sympathy and deserves Ell.
emplary punishment
nAtion thar can grow great 10 re hava
done. and srll retain voluntary enlistment
In contradistinction 70 compulsory service
or CONSUMPTION. 10 20 he conGrarulated
but 10 preserve the army II q all the more
necessary TO foster great respect for 3,
and - enforce that principal factor In "a
efficiency. discipline
In spite 81 the gloomy picture presented
nv the facts regarding dcsertion there u
no doubt that q healthier spirit has per.
vaded the arm" % !ate. and the public 10
gradually learnt . 70 look Tpon he crime
81 de~er'ion more seriously. The number
90 assertions. 4, - sat.sfsctorv 70 know
has declined In the last few years There
are several reasons for this. but the prin.
cipal one 10 the system rur in operation By
the Adjutant-General himself TO apprehend
dsseFters.
Commanding officers all over the country
report by telegraph every case 81 desertion
NhereUpon q printed CIRCULAR containing Q
description and q reproduction 81 the photo.
graph of the deserter h cent out 20 various
public ofincers. the sheriffs police officials and
numerous others -Four thousand copies
Of each circular nre thus distributed all over