Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1918-05-10
FOOD
WILL WIN
THE
VAR
Many Trained Workers are Needed
BY Army and Navy.

The civilian branches of the ARMY
and Navy are in need of thousands Of
highly trained workers, and before
the end of 1918 these branches mist
be increased by at least 10000, ac-
cording to the Civil Service Commits
sion.
The Ordnance department of the
Army needs large numbers of me-
chanical engineers, craftsmen, chem
lists, and metallurgists. Thousands of
inspectors are wanted to pass on the
quality of ordnance, ammunition, and
other supplies. For Office work sta
ticians, accountants, assistants in
business administration and special
ly trained clerks are needed
The Quartermaster Corps wants
several thousand examiners and in
spectors, and passenger and freight
clerks are needed. The signal Corps
is short of craftsmen.
The Navy has an unlimited num-
Der of places for craftsmen, and
long list of positions FOR technical
workers. Practically all branches of
the service need stenographers, typ
lists, bookkeepers and clerks.
DiscOuraging Letters Cause Deser-
tons From Army Camps.
In recent statement the Wa: De-
partment strongly advises against
discouraging letters to soidie"s:
Recent reports from commanding
generals of certain Army divisions
indicate that one oc the fruitful
causes of soldiers absentiug them
selves without leave IS the discoIrag-
ing letter from home. Such letters
frequently give alarming and exag-
gerated reports of conditions sur
rounding the soldiers family, that
some member is desperately i'll, that
all are starving, or that they are be-
ing in some way harassed In in
stances such letters have preyed upon
the minds of soldiers that they have
absented themselves without leave to
go home, only to find that conditions
had been grossly exaggerated.
/ Meanwhile the soldier had been
absent without leave-a serious Mill
tary offense. His problem then be-
came one of facing the penalty or
getting deeper into trouble by desert
ing. Sometimes mans pride or fear
has led him to desert.
every soldier wants to receive let
tiers from home. They should be fire.
quent, cheerful, hopeful, and appreci-
ative of the sacrifice he is making for
his country. They should be full of
family incidents and cheerful home
gossip. They should protect him from
the trifling alarms and the small an
noyances of everyday life. They
should encourage him by giving full
confidence that his family and his
friends stand 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 him is clearly indicated by reports
at The Adjutant Generals office. Here
are some extracts from recent re-
ports of division commanders:
i 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,'
Il am now, through the newspa-
pers of Indiana and through lecturers
in Kentucky, whom we are able to
reach through the office of the adju-
tant general of that State, endeavor-
ing to advise the home people OF
these men of the seriousness of these
offenses and that their efforts should
be to assist every man in performing
the duty that has devolved on him
to tighten his worries and, above all
to regard desertion in its proper light
shall also attempt to get the West
Virginia papers to institute cam
paign of education along similar
lines.
"A division inspector submitted the
following in this connection;
While stationed at Columbu,
Barracks, Ohio, last year | was {
member of a general court MARTA
that tried approximately 100 eniste,
men for desertion from Natona
Guard regiments stationed on the
border. | believe | am safe in say
ing that at least 80 per cent of then
gave as their reason for desertior
the fact that they had received let
tiers from home to the effect that {