The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-22
TROOPS SHOULD BE
 SENT BACK HOME
Mother of Two Boys In the Militia Says "Silk Stock ing" Men Are Not
 Complaining

The mere fact that the Alabama boys who are members of the National Guard stationed on the border want to come home is no sign that they have feathers on their legs"
 This is the opinion of innumerable Bir- mingham people, including many who have sons and relatives on the Mexican boundary line. The statement of w. W. Smith of Alabama City published in Sat urday's Age-Herald has aroused no small amount of criticism MT. Smith, who has two sons at Nogales deplored the re- ports which had been printed to the eff feet that the Alabama troops were not being properly taken care of and that they should be brought home.
 T am perfectly willing for my two boys to fight for their country" said a well known Birmingham woman yester- day, who has two sons on the border. When I told them good-by last summer I really did not expect to ever see them again I expected war, and I had re- signed myself to the results of the con- flict. But I do object to them being tied up indefinitely on police duty.
 POLICING BORDER
 There is no reason why this policing of the border could not be done by the regular army. Of course, we all under stand now, as we did when the call was made last summer that if the United States should go to war with Mexico there would be need of the militia. However. that conflict was averted, and there is now no danger of such a war
 My boys in response to the call of their country, left their business and went to the front. They made a great personal and financial sacrifice. Their business here is suffering, and they will be forced when they return practically to begin their business careers again. Thert is every reason why they should be returned to their homes and that without delay.
 "Of course there may be some men on the border who are not suffering in business way. But I believe that a majority of the members of Bat tery c. in which my two sons are, are under trying serious financial losses.
 NO mother in the country would more willingly submit to having her sons in the army in case of national peril than l. but it does seem that since all danger has passed and the troops are withdrawn from Mexico, our boys should be allowed to return to their homes. If there is need for police duty on the, border, why not let the men in the regular army at tend to it? That is their business and they have no outside interests that are suffering. But the members of the militia should be allowed to return to their homes. They offered their serv ices patrotically to meet a national menace and now that it has passed, they should not longer be detained from their business.
 NOT COMpJ AIMING
 "In reply to the statement of Mr. Smith, would like to say that as far as I have heard, there has never been complaint made from the so-called silk stocking boys of Battery c. I get letters from my two sons in this bat tery regularly and neither of them have ever complained about the ar dous duties of the military life nor have they ever had anything unfavor- able~ to say regarding the accommo- dations or their food.
 q think it is manifestly unjust for Mr.. Smith or any one else to try to make it appear that the silk stocking boys are complaining. They are not raising any objections to the treat nlent they are receiving but the mem- bers of the families of boys on the bor- der feel that the time has come when they should be allowed to return to their homes and resume their normal business careers