McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1918-05-10

of soldiers absenting themselves with
out leave is the discouraging letter
from home. Such letters frequently
give alarming and exaggerated reports
OF conditions surrounding the soldiers
family, that some member is desper-
ately Ill, that all are starving, or that
they are being In some way harassed.
In instances such letters have SO
preyed upon the minds of soldiers that
they have absented themselves with
out leave to go home, only to find
that conditions had been grossly ex.
aggerated.
Meanwhile the soldier had been alb.
sent without leave--a serious military
offense. His problem then became
one of facing the penalty or getting
deeper into trouble by deserving. Some.
times a mans pride or fear has led
him to desert.
Every soldier wants to receive let
tiers from home. They should be fire.
Quent, cheerful, hopeful, and appre.
ciatiye of the sacrifice that he Is
making for his country. They should
be full of family incidents and cheer
full home gossip. They should pro-
tect him from the trifling alarms and
the small annoyances of everyday life.
They should encourage him by giving
full confidence that his family and his
friends stand behind him in the great
enterprise he has undertaken.
"The value of such letters to soldierf
is beyond estimate. The harm thae
discouraging letters from home do to
him is clearly indicated by reports af
the adjustant generals Office. Herl
are some extracts from recent reports
of division commanders:
I find, also, that many of the fam.
flies of the men write to them Of un.
satisfactory conditions at home. sick
ness of relatives, and how much va
rious members of the family wish to
see the soldier. These letters, so far
as sickness, etc., are concerned, are
often overdrawn, but, combined with
the homesick feeling, often result In
the man going absent without leave
and finally being dropped as de-
serter.'
81 am now, through the newspa-
pers of Indiana and through lecturers
In Kentucky, whom we are able to
reach through the office Of the adj
jutant general of that state, endeavor-
ing to advise the home people Of these
men of the seriousness of these Of
lenses and that their efforts should be
to assist every man in performing this
duty that has devolved on him, to
tighten his worries, and, above all, to
regard desertion in Its proper light.
| shall also attempt to get the West
Virginia papers to institute CAM
paign of education along similar
lines
"A division inspector submitted the
following in this connection:
"'While stationed at Columbus bar
racks, Ohio, last year was member
of a general court-martial that tried
approximately 100 enlisted men for
desertion from National Guard regi-
ments stationed on the border. ] be-
lieve am safe in saying that at least
80 per cent of them gave as their rea-
son for desertion the fact that they
had received letters from home to the
effect that a wife, sister, or mother
was either dying, very Ill, or in des-
titue circumstances, and begged the
man to come home at once. Many Of
the men admitted that when they ar
rived home they found that the writer
of the letter had exaggerated condi-
TONS
MANY young soldiers, fresh from
home, suffer from inconsistencies, no
matter how army officers may try to
make their surroundings pleasant and
comfortable and provide proper
amusements. Extraordinary meas
ures have been taken by the war de-
partment during the past year to keep
the young soldier actively engaged
while in camp with sports, amuse-
ments, and comforts that wholesome
psychology might be sustained. Still,
a type of soldier will yearn for home
and fall into a brooding mood. 1t Ia
obvious how harmful to him and to
the service discontinued letter from
home might be-"
The enrolment Of more than 100000
boys between sixteen and twenty-one
years Of age for farm work this season
in the boys working reserve Of the
United States employment service has
been made by six states, according to
an announcement by the department Of
labor. The states first reporting were:
California. 22,O00; Indiana, 1885; NJ
linois. $4,000; Ohio, $4,000; Tennessee,
1900; Wisconsin, $4,000.
In Rhode Island high school boys
are being enrolled in the reserve,
trained in handling farm machinery,
and sent in groups by automobile to
farmers to demonstrate their ability.
Mems colleges and universities are
making prompt response to the re.
quest of Secretary Of Labor Wilson
that their students be enrolled in the
public service reserve and placed on
farms this summer to assist in food
production. They will be placed with
farmers through the United States
employment service, with the aid OF
the county agents of the department
of agriculture.
Swimming Is to be taught soldiers
In some training camps this summer
as military requirement, according
to the commission on training camp
activities. A statement by the com
mission shows that $4,000 soldiers In
camps participated in organized bas
ket ball last season.