Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-05-09
,,.,mnaeiag Letters Cause ''''''
films from .,ug Camps

discourage lctltt' ~
Recent reports from commaho"t
oeuerals OF cert.n army divisions
t.s,.a.o that one of he fruitful
causes OF soldiers absenlins 'hein-
selves without leave is the ais'our-
osins letter from home. Such let
,srs freouendy give alarming ana
exaggerated reports Of conditions
.,,rrounding the soldiers family. that
some member is desperately Ill. 'hat
all are starving or that they are De-
Ing in SOME way harassed.
In instances such letters have
prevsd upon the minds OF soldiers
that thev have absented themselves
without leave to 90 home, only TO
find that condition had been grossly
exaggerated.
Meanwhile. the soldier had been
absent without leave--a serious mill
tary oTense. His problem then be-
came one of facing the penalty oil
getting deeper into trouble by de-
sorting. Sometimes mans pride or
fear has lead him to desert.
Every soldier wants to receive
letters from home They should BE-
frequent. cheerful hopeful and APP
preciative OF the sacrifice that he Is
making for MS country. They should
he full of'family incidents and cheer
full home gossip. They should pro-
tect him from the trifing alarms and
the small annoyances Of everyday
life They should encourage him BY
giving full confidence that his fam
ily and friends are behind him In the
great enterprise he has undertaken
THE value OF such letters to sol
. diers is beyond estimate. The harm
that discouraging letters from home
do to him is clearly indicated by re-
ports at the Adiutant Generals Of
fee Here are some extracts from
recent reports Of division command
ers:
Il find. also. that many OF the
families OF the men write TO them OF
unsatisfactory conditions at home.
sickness of relatives. and how much
various members OF the family wish
to see the soldier. These letter. so
far as sickness. etc, are concerned
are often overdrawn. but. combined
With the homeslck feeling. often re-
suit in the man going absent without
leave and finally being dropped as a
deserter.
j II am now. through the newspa
pers OF Indiana and through lectur
- ers In Kentucky. whom we are abl
4 to reach through the oifice OF the ad
= iutant general OF that state. en-
Il deayOring to advise the home peopl
n OF these men OF the seriousness @
these offenses and that their effort
K should be to assist every man I'm N
II performing Of the duty that has 4,
volyed on him, to tighten his wor
e ries and above all. TO regard desel
e ton in its proper light. shall ais
- attempt to get the West Virginia D.
. pers to institute campaign OF ed
e cation along similar lines"
"A "A division inspector submltts
the following in this connection:
% while stationed at Column,
Ig Barracks, Ohio, last fall I was
member Of a general court-marii
v. that tried approximately 100 enlis
ID ed men for desertion from Nation
S. Guard regiments stationed on n
border. l believe am safe 10 G,
In saying that at least 90 per co.
- OF them gave as their reason for d
sertion the fact that they had r
ceived letters from home to the 8
=, feet that wife. sister. or mother w
either dying, very i'll. or in dest,t,
10 circumstances begged the man
d. come home at once. Many OF =
men admitted that when they arr
nd we'd home they found the writer
tn the letter had exaggerated con,
it. lions"
many young soldiers. fresh FRI
ef homo. suffer from homesicknese
VI matter how Army officers NAV ,rv
"a make their surroundings pleas,
Je AMI comfortable and provide pror
he amnsements. Extraordinary NJ,
MS sures have been taken by the "
Department during the past vear
he keep the young soldier actively ,
les gagged while in camp with sno,
ed amusements. and comforts that
wholesome psychology might no g,
ny ny stained. Still type Of soldier u
rIa yearn for home and fall into hro,
He Ing mood. 1t is obvious how no.
he full to him and to the service = 4
ire contented letter from homo mt,
lev be-" "'t
ry. ~