The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-01-25
Minister Of Treasury Routs Out
140 Officers and Sends
Them to Front.
SEARCH IS ON FOR OTHERS
reat Disaster to Cadorna's Army May
Be Blessing in Disouise-volun.
tecrs in Minority-oeserters
Are Shot.
BY PHILIP r. MACKENZIE.

Rome.-On the eve Of the great war,
while General Cadorna was hard ut
work creating the Italian army des-
tined to unite Trent and Trieste with
the kingdom 148 officers of all ranks,
from colonies to sub-lieutenants, were
given special work. This work con-
sisted in finding out how much money
was wasted during the Tripoli war.
A corridor IN the ministry Of the
treasury accordingly was set apart for
these officers, who during the last three
years have been auditing accounts and
taking their time in doing it, while
their comrades fought the Austrians
and were wounded or killed in action.
There Is every reason to believe that
the great task of auditing the accounts
of the Tripoli war would have been
prolonged indefinitely, but the new
minister of the treasury. Signor Nitti,
discovered the 148 officers hidden in
the corridor.
Signor Nitti was disguised at the
sight Of SO many professional officers
calmly working on the four simple
rules of arithmetic, and In "a hours
he had the case brought before q cab.
met council and q royal decree was is
sued postponing the work of the 14S
officers, who were ordered without de-
lay to the front.
No figures are available as to the
number Of men physically ft yet ex.
empted from active military service.
Cases OF s0-called "imboscament0."
meaning literally "hiding In bushes"
to evade military service, have been
frequent In Italy.
The socialists, who oppose the war
and whose peace propaganda contrib
uted toward the recent military disas-
ter. repeatedly told the masses that In
Italy the wal was being fought by tho
peasants. The rich people do not fight.
said the socialists, As when one has
money he u easily hide in the
BUSH"
The SONS Of well-t0-do tradesmen and
farmers az q rule, nre drivers Of motor
Tories and ambulances, and those OF
upper middle classes and nobility, who
should be officers, often prefer to drive
stan officers automobiles unless they
succeed in getting clerical work In Of
6ces away from the front.
It Is true that many young men vol
unteered for active service as officers
in infantry regiments and sacrificed
their lives for their country. but they
were o minority.
It must be admitted that up to the
present the mistaken impression pre-
vailed that the hardest share Of fight
Ing was borne BY the peasant and la
boring classes, who suffered most Of
oil from the war. This impression In
creased to such an extent that q great
proportion Of the men who returned on
short leave from the front felt discour-
aged and dissatisfied when they real
ICED that every city and town in the
country was crowded with young men
who evaded military service or who
even II called to the colors succeeded
IN remaining away from the front and
saw no actual lighting.
As Q result. besides those men who
returned to fight when their short leave
expired, others felt justified In desert
Ing. Some Of the latter we're arrested,
court-martialed and shot, and their
comrades were not impressed with
such exemplary punishments, which,
instead Of serving as q warning. had
the opposite effect Of exciting pity and
provoking dangerous comparisons be-
tween the fate Of those who evadcd