The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-02-15
WHY ARE GRADUATES Of WEST POINT
AND ANNAPOLIS QUIT TING SERVICE?

, ability OF war becoming less year
BY year officers and priyates OF the
army and sailors and officers OF the
navy are losing their ze't for mill
tary service and are tuG.ng their
thoughts from war and military ser
/ vice to different lines of industry.
The navy and war departments
/ have been periodically confronted
with this question of the withdrawal
of young officers from the service,
/ particularly at a time when their
schooling has been concluded and
they are about to ente" upon active
service When it is believed that 1t
would prove Improbable to retain
the young officer the resignation IS
accepted. The army does not SUI
fer as much from this cause as does
the navy. Each year there are a
large number of young officers in the
graduating class from Annapolis who
find that their careers are checked by
seasiclncss.
Major General Leonard Wood chief
of staff of the army once refused
to permit a young cavalry lieuten-
ant to resign and engage in civil pur-
suits because the officer wished to
l.. t.t1 ha
officer three months leave with per
mission to go beyond the seas, il
which he might enjoy his honey
moon
Cupid is today more feared by com
manding officers OF the army and
navy than an enemy. No form Of in
oculaton has been devised to cure
the wounds made by the darts OF
Loves messenger at Annapolis and
West Point. Commanding officers in
the army and navy, who are constant
ly confronted with this problem, wish
there was something to keep the
young men away from the Wiles OF
womanlind while they are fresh from
the restrictions placed on them in
the schools Nearly all Of the young
midshipmcn who asked that their
designations be accepted last year
50 that they may enter civil life,
were betrothed to wealthy young wo-
men who did not favor their con
,tinuing in the service OF Uncle
Sam
Cupid has been fought in vain
by the officials OF both branches.
Many young midshipmen secure
transfers from the navy to the army
service when they find upon their
first cruise that they are susceptible
to seasickness, while others ask for
transfers believing that matrimonial
conditions are better. The youns
wives as a rule do not relish the
idea Of having their husbands wan
der all over the world on long
cruises. Then, too, the mdshipmen
on Joining the army is Immediately !
advanced TO the grade OF first liel-
tenant This brings an increase in !
pay, which is not generally spurned |
by the Young officers.
The betrothal of Young officers !
to rich young women is more often !
than not the cause of the resigna- |
ton says Major General VIM. H. |
Carter. In many of the causes which |
! have personally investigated ! find |
that the parents OF the young women !
prefer 20 put the young man in busi |
ness rather than have him transfer |
red to the Philippines or some other
distant point upon leaving the West |
Point Academy. The designations |
from the army are much fewer than |
from the navy. This is due chiefly to |
seasickness and slow advancement in !
in that service, The young men on
graduation from the naval academy
must serve two years before they are
granted the rank of ensign.
Therefore many mldshipmen re-
sign from the navy to enter the ar
tillery branch, where the advance
ment is generally more rapid The !
Young midshipman may become a
first lieutenant on joining the artil-
lery, though the majority become sec
ond lieutenants, which places them |