New-York tribune., 1918-08-06
Army Asks Public
ToDiscourage Men
Overstaying Leave
Upton Regiment Sails With
$50 Absentees and An
other With 500
By BRIGGS

Army officials yesterday issued re-
quest to newspapers of New York City
and vicinity to make public a plea for
a concerted effort on the part of all
civilians especially mothers, fathers
and sweethearts-to discourage soldiers
from deserting or overstaying their
leaves until their organizations have
sailed for overseas.
The situation is alarming, it was an
nounced, and figures were given out to
show that the highest military efficiency
CT some of the companies is impaired
because of the many absentees.
1t was announced that of 1900 men
at Camp Upton who were to sail July
28 $50 were absent and remained be-
hind, while a regiment which passed
through Camp Merritt went across with
500 men missing. Another company
sailed July IS with tweAty-one abb
sentces.
Can't Rejoin Commands
This necessitates filling the places of
the absentces with other men. and
when the missing soldiers return they
have to be placed in the overseas casual
camp, which means they will be sent
over later, but will never be able to
rejoin their own companies, it was as
serted
Every man and woman in the vicin-
ity of New York who entertains SOL
dier should first make certain of the
status of the soldier" the army officials
declared. "If he is absent without leave
they should shun him and warn him
that they will report him at once. In
every case, they should ask to see the
soldiers pass.
"Although there is no excuse for a
soldier overstaying his leave or desert
ing, there are many reasons why thew
do it. We have had soldiers desert be-
cause they did not wish to leave their
sweethearts. Every patriotic American
girl ought to make her sweetheart un
derstand that the country has first call
and that she will have nothing to do
with him if he neglects his duty
There have been we'll estabishe d
cases where mothers have written to
the authorities TO inform them that
their sons have deserted and come
home. Such mothers are actuated bv
the highest spirit of patriotism and
that is the kind of spirit that should
be emulated by all of our citizens"
The propaganda scheme was decided
upon as the best means of suppressinp
this menace after Major General David
c. Shanks, of the National Army, had
explained the seriousness of the Situ-
alton in a letter to Assistant Chief of
Staff Frank Mcintyre, of the War De-
partment at Washington, and received
authority to put his plan into exccu:
ton.
Explains Proposed Work
Following is his letter, in part:
Dear Mcintyre: There is a bit of
propaganda work that needs to be done
at this port. If undertaken tactfully. |
feel sure that good results will ensue.
| am sending a copy of this letter to
Hines so that you two may talk it over
and see whether you think it advisable
to undertake it. The work is as fol-
lows:
There is entirely too much in the
way of absenteeism A. w. O. L) and
too much in the way of desertion on
the part of the troops passing through
this port. Many of the men have never
seen New York before They come to
the city on pass and overstay their
leave. Some OF them go away for good
and great many return to camp after
their organizations have gone, and have
to be placed in our oversea casual
camp. For instance, a single company
sailed yesterday with twenty-one alb
sentees
The people Of New York are most
kindly disposed toward all soldiers.
they are too kind sometimes. and in
TINS excess of kindness do injury to
the military service. Our people now
are all keyed up everybody wants to
do his bit. All our people need is to
be shown the way and they will do
the rest