The Springdale news., 1918-05-31
MOST DESERTIONS CAUSED BY
 HOME FOLKS MESSAGES
lF.om French and Camn."A

Beauregard from wives. mothers and sWeethearts, and are the cause of un- told misery and punishment among the men of most of the breaches of military discipline through being ab- sent without leave, according to a strong appeal to the governors of Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas from Major General H. c. Hodges. Jr.. in command at the camp.
 Ut is impressed upon my mind ev- cry day that many mothers, wives and 1 sweethearts of our soldiers are. unwit- tingly bringing upon themselves and upon their soldier relatives the great est misery and disgrace" says Major General Hodges in his letter to Gov ernor Pleasant.
 T want to see you. Please come home"
 These eight words of affection compose hundreds of messages that are received by the men in the camp each day. Despite the fact that they appear as tender tokens from home they are the cause of more misery and anguish on the part of the soldiers of Camp Beauregard than any other cause. They engender homesickness and discontent 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 serious one and it's punishment is we'll known, especially to the men of the army
 Because the folks at home are the innocent causes of so many of these crimes, l want to make direct appeal to relatives and friends of men to re- frain from addressing to them mes sages that make them believe that ! things are not right at home-that they should return to their fres:des. even without permission.
 Tt is natural, I know, for a sick wifi CT l.:other to wa:U to seq her soi- dier hoy. In every one, except the
 
 most C. treme cases, the desi should be suppressed; for the soldier, no. be- ing a physician, could accomplish no real good by visit, but could, on the other hand, by such visit without leave get himself into predicament from which he cannot eXtricate himself in months, and in some cases years. i soldier should not be written discoUr- aging letters, but instead he should be sent words of cheer. He has import ant duties to perform for his country. and he can do them better with light 1 heart.
 The sight of a prisoner wearing ball and chain is pitiful one in pr- vate life. That of soldier boy being driven to unpleasant duties of pri- soner under guard is just as shocking, but it is not an unfrequent sight in the reasons for his predicament are letters written by folks at home inn ploring him to come to them.
 Cause Desertion.
 'In many cases of desertion the cause is traced to these seemingly ir- nocent letters from home The sol .ier receives such a letter, he gets home sick or "blue" and desides to leave, with or without permission. After he arrives at his home he begins to re- alize what his action means and he desides to stay. Desertion in time of war is punishable by the death penal ty. Deserters from this division are sentenced to confinement in the fed eral penitentiary for long terms, rang ing from ten to twenty-five years
 If mothers, wives and sweethearts could be made to understand what misery and disgrace they may bring upon their loved ones by writing such letters, am sure they would send messages of good cheer instead of those which will make the son, hus- band or sweetheart downcast and homesick.
 If the people of Arkansas, Louis iana and Mississippi would realize that every letter written a soldier making him feel that things are not all right at home is the worst thing for his welfare, believe they would stop sending such messages. l know this section of the country and feel that in 20 other part Is patriotism greater and pride in the army more pronounced. History shows that the enlisted men of this division come from fighting stock, for they are de- scendants of those efficient and daring soldiers who followed Beauregard, Dick Taylor. Barksdale, Pat Claiborne, Pike. Marntaduke, Van Dorn, Charles Clark and other famous leaders during the stirring days of the sixties These facts show me there is no intention on the part of the folks at home to de- ter the progress of the army On the l o+bar bapd I rea liZe that the fondneSS