Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-02-18
.FORTY-NINE w. VA.
LADS "DESERTERS"
II Is Not Believed That Any
From Berkeley Decamped.

fQrty-nlne WEST virginia SOiuIeFS
at Camp Lee, va, were absent from
the camp without leave on February
1, according to information just for
warded to state and federal officers
in all parts Of the state by Brigadier
General Lloyd NJ. Brett, camp com
mandant So far as can be ascertain
ed none of these are from Martins
hurg or Berkeley county.
General Brett's letter accompany
ing the announcement of these deser-
lions is as follows:
To all state and federal officials:
The soldiers from your state nam
ed on the enclosed list were absent
without leave or in desertion from
Camp Lee on February 1, 1918. This
list is furnished you in the confident
hope that you will use all means in
your power to see that any men
known to be in your locality are eth
er induced peaceably to return to
their organizations, or else are ar
rested and delivered to the military
authorities. The United States will
poy $50 to any civil officer or civilian
for the apprehension and delivery to
the proper military authorities at a
military post OF deserter from the
military service. A. soldier absent
without leave and without means to
return to his proper station, can re-
port at any army post, station or re-
cruiting office and receive transpor-
tation at government expense back
to his company, the cost thereof to
be later deducted from his pay.
From various sources information
has been received that in some in
stances, soldiers absent without
leave have been induced to leave the
commands by relatives and friends.
and that their friends and relatives
are harboring them at the present
time. These are offenses which are
under the penal code OF
the United States. The government
has heretofore been very tolerant in
its treatment of men who have violat-
cd their duty to their country in the
present crisis by absenting them
selves from their commands, FREE
luently with intention not to return.
II cannot in reason be expected to
continue such tolerance indefinitely,
snd It will hereafter be the policy Of
The commanding general OF Camp
Lee 20 require a rigid standard in
this respect.
Dasertion in time of war is punish
able by death, and although capital
has not yet been inflict-
I'd upon any soldier, it must assur-
eddy will be in the course of time
when the discipline of our armies be-
comes more strict. The last soldier
llicu anu tuuNtCteQ VI ueS6ItlJ1 at
this camp was sentenced to twenty
years confinement in the United
States penitentiary at Atlanta, Ga.
This is only the beginning and an ex-
ample Of what such men may expect
in the future. 1t is the intention of
the federal government in arrestiny
mon who are absent without author
itv from their commands.
Soldiers are required to wear uni
form at all times, and no soldier is
to leave his command with
out a proper furlough or pass sign
ed by his company commander, so
that Identification of absentees is
very easy. The government would
much prefer not TO treat it's citizens
as criminals, but it will do so, if
to see that they fulfil
their obligation to their govern
ment at such a time this.
Go to Hovermale and Smiths sale
-