The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-06-06
Make Your Eetters Cheerful.

Mr.. John Marshall. Secretary for
the Louisiana State Council of De
Tense. has forwarded the Banner
copy of a letter written by Maj.-Gen
HI. G. Hodges, jr., stationed at Camp
Reauregard, which he says calls atten-
ton to a matter deserving wide pub
lfcity and earnest consideration. The
trend of the same is that only cheerful
letters should be written to the boys
now at the environments and those in
the service stationed elsewhere. The
officers letter, which was addressed to
Governor Pleasant. follows:
Governor Ruffin &. Pleasant,
Baton Rouge, La.
Nv Dear GnrerHOr Pleasant: As the
Chief Executive Of your state and as a
patriotic citizen Of this nation. know
you are interested in the welfare of
the soldiers of this camp, thousands Of
whom are from Louisiana.
1t is impressed upon my mind every
day that many mothers, wives and
sweethearts of our soldiers are. un-
| Willingly, bringing upon themselves
and upon their soldier relatives the
greatest misery and disgrace.
rant to see NDM. Please come home.
The above eight words of affection
compose hundreds of messages that are
| received by the men in this camp each
day. Despite the fact that they ap-
pear as tender tokens from home. they
are the cause of more misery and an
guish Oh the part of the soldiers of
Camp Beauregard than any other
cause. They engender homesickness
and discomfort in the hearts Of the
boys. who go. with or without leave,
to their loved ones. In these strenuous
times of war the crime of being absent
| without leave is a serious one and its
punishment is well known, especially
to the men Of the Army.
| Because the folks at home are the
innocent causes of SO many of these
crimes. | want to make direct appeal
to relatives and friends Of the men tO
refrain from addressing to them mes
sageS that make them believe that
things are not right at home - that
they should return to their firesides
even without permission.
| 1t is natural, know, for sick wife
or mother to want to see her soldier
boy. In every one. except the most ex
treme cases, the desire should be sup
pressed. for the soldier, not being &
physician, could accomplish no rea
good by a visit. but could, on the othel
hand, by such visit, without leave. ge
himself into predicament from whicl
he cannot extricate himself in months
and in some cases years A soldie
slOuld not be written discouraging let
tiers, but instead, lie should he sell
words OF cheer. He has important tlu
ties to perform for his country. and h
can do them better with light heart
The sight of prisoner wearing /,
ball and chain il a pitiful one IN pri
vate life. That of a soldier boy beini
driven to the unpleasant duties Of
prisoner under guard is just AZ shock
) ing, but it is not an infrequent sight il
this camp. The greatest number 0
the reasons for this predicament ar
letters written by folks at home i'll
ploring him to come to them.
In many cases of desertion til
cause is traced to these seemingly in
nocent letters from home. The soldie
receives such letter, he gets home
sick, or blue and decides to leave
$ with or without permission. After h
arrives at his home, he begins to re
alize what his action means and he de
cides to stay. Desertion in time O
war is punishable by the death per
atty. DeserterS from this division ar
sentenced to confinement in the Fec
eral Penitentiary for long terms, rams
ing from ten to twenty-five years.
If mothers, wives and sweetheart
could be made to understand what mi.