French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1918-06-13


I, meanwhile, the soldier had been
absent without leave-a serious mill
tarv ofense. His problem then be-
came one of facing the penalty or
getting deeper into trouble by desert-
inc. Sometimes a mans pride or
fear has led him to desert.
aEvery soldier wants to receive let
tors from home. They should be
freouent, cheerful, hopeful, and ap-
nreciative of the sacrifice that he is
making for his country. They should>
he full of family incidents and cheer
ful home gossip. They should pro-
+ect him from the trifing alarms and
the small annoyances of everyday
life. They should encourage him ny
giving full confidence that his family
and his friends stand behind him IN
the great enterprise he has under
taken.
"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-
norris at the adjutant generals Of
| fee Here are some extracts from re-
cent reports of division commanders:
"T 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 letters, so
far as sickness, ETC., are concerned,
are often overdrawn, but, combined
with the homesick feeling, often re-
suit in the man going absent without
leave and finally being dropped as a
deserter.'
"I am now, through the newspa-
pers of Indiana and through lectur-
ers in Kentucky, whom we are able
to reach through the Office of the ad-
I~iutant general of that State, endea-
voring to advise the home people of
these men of the seriousness of these
Fofenses and that their efforts should
be to assist every man in performing
the duty that has developed on him,
to tighten his worries and, above all,
to regard desertion in its proper
light. I shall also attempt to get the
West Virginia papers to institute a
campaign of education along similar
lines -<gW~ER EXR1A8R.
"a division Inspector submitted
the following in this connection:
"'While stationed at Columbus
Barracks, Ohio, last year I was a
member of a general court-martial
that tried approximately 100 enlist
ed men for desertion from National
Guard regiments stationed on the
border. l believe 1 am safe in saying
that at least 80 per cent of them gave
as their reason for desertion the fact
that they had received letters from
home to the effect that a wife, sister,
or mother was either dying, very i'll,
or in destitute circumstances, and
begged the man to come home at
once. Many of the men admitted
that when they arrived. home they
found that the writer of the letter
had exaggerated conditions
"Many young soldiers, fresh from
home, suffer from homesickness, 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 en-
gagged while in camp with sports,
amusements, and comforts that a
wholesome psychology might be sus-
Still, a type of soldier will
yearn for home and fall into a brood
ing mood. 1t is obvious how harm
full to him and to the service a dis
contented letter from home might
be-"