South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-04-14
PUNISHMENT FOR
SOLDIERS SEVERE
Men Who Disregard DiSCi-
pIine Are Tried by Court
Martial in France.
International News Service:

International News Service:
PARIS. April If in the coun-
try near the rear or the French bat
tie line you see an unmarked sol
dier's grave, with no cross, or
wreath above il. most likely it is
the last resting place OF an executed
man.
Discipline is strict in war time
Each French division has a regular
court martial attached TO IL, which
collects evidence OF military crimes
tries offenders and carries out sen
fences
One OF the officers or such court
martial was induced to talk about
his sOmbre duties. He said:
You must remember that arm
les today are made up Of millions
OF men. men Of all shades and col
ors Of political sentiments and reli-
gsous creeds-anarcnists and social
lists. blicans and royalists, athe-
lists and uitramontanes, Jews and
MahOmmedans. Out Of this mater
ial we have welded together an army
the Ike OF which the world has
never seen And this applies equal
Il 10 our allies, and no less TO our
enemieA
In these armies absolute ODE
dience is demanded OF every man and
a high plane OF intelligent efficiency
IL required CT the Individual I'm or
der that he may maintain the stand
ard Of discipline OF modern armies.
Yet when I tell you that during the
Is months Of war 1 have been con-
tinuously occupied In my present
functions with my division, and we
have brought before the court mar
tiaI only sI5 men, Of whom 10 have
been executed. and nine. who re-
ceived capital sentences, pardoned.
you can see for yourself the aston
ishingly fine discipline OF our arm
les.
Cases OF Thoughtlesmess.
You would perhaps be surprised.
buzz most Of our cases are due 20
ghtlessness on the part OF the
pOiIu.' Every soldier knows that to
abandon his post in the face OF the
enemy no matter for how brief a
moment. is punished by death, and
sometimes the best Of men have
been shot for this seemingly small
breach OF discipline. which, never
theless, is the most heinous crime
in the whole military code.
And. strangely, IL Is not the bad
esgs'-of whom there are. Of
course. a few in every regiment
who give MS this trouble. but rather
the better sort OF young Fellows.
who cannot understand the military
necessity OF so harsh a discipline.
/ well recall our first court mar
tbal OF a case Of this kind. We were
new 10 the business ourselves. but
it was a fragrant breach. and TO
check It's repetition Il had to be
dealt with according TO the code of
war. The man was duly tried and
sentenced. I went to his lookup
and read the death sentence 70 him
He listened without seeming 10 un-
derstand what had taken place and
that he was condemned TO die.
''Thet.night instructed an officer
10 call for a firing squad. Our FIR
ing squads ara. always composed Of
volunteers-19 men. Not a man
volunteered for the task. We had to
commander a squad.
The prisoner was marched ont
at dawn. stood quietly facing the
levelled rifles. and died without fall
tering- ] am sure ne never realized
the gravity or his Ofrense. But war
Is war. Now IL Is different. The
men know the value OF discipline
know that a breach OF discipIine
will endanger the lives Of their com
rades. or even the safety OF Franco
and though breaches Of this kind
still occur they are met in differ
ent spirit Not If call for a firing
squad so men at once volunteer TO
do the work. Fortunately the oc-
casions are rare"
rs the family notified that a man
has been executed 30 the interviewer
asked.
Yes and no the officer replied
The French code is peculiar Mott
lcation OF death is sent 20 the family
soon after the execution as though
the man had died in action Then
three months later the family re-
ceives notice from the local mill
tary authorities demanding the nav
ment 81 the sum or 2 francs So cen
times-the expenses OF the exec,,-
ton. But otherwise there is no D,,b-
lefty. The grave is not marked Of
hcially. but record is kept so thar
~ Will not be difficult 10 locate h.
later on.
Breaches Unknown.
breaches Of discipline tov-sr ,7s
superior officers are unknown chief
~ because we form one big family
AZ the front The men are so we'll
looked after by their officers that
they are as a vuIe beloved hv then,
Mon lieutenant mon capitaina
are not hollow phrases. but exDress
wildly the true relations between
the men and their superiors.