Norwich bulletin., 1918-05-11
Diseouragins Letters Cause Desertions
 From Army Camps.

From Army Camps.
 fIu A recent statement the War De- uartment strongly advises against discouraginS letters to soldiers:
 Recent reports from commanding generals of certain Army divisions in dicafe that one of the fruitful causes of soldiers absenting themselves with 6nt leave is the discouraging letter nom home Such letters frequently give alarming and exaggerated re- oorts of conditions surrounding the spldierss family that some member is desperately i'll. that all are starving, or that they are being in some way harassed In such instances such let ters have so preyed upon the minds of soldiers that they have absented themselves without leave to go home, only 70 find that conditions had been grossly exaggerated. Meanwhile, the soldier had been absent without leave-a serious mili tsry offense. His problem then be- came one of facing the penalty or getting deeper into trouble by de- sorting. Sometimes a mans pride or fear led him to desert.
 Every soldier wants to receive let ters from home. They should be fre- ouent. cheerful. hopeful, and apprecia- tive Of the sacrifice that he is making for his country. They should be full Of family incidents and cheerful home gossip. They should protect him from the trifing 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 10 him is clearly indicated by re- ports of The Adjutant Generals Of fee. Here are some extracts from re- cent reports of division commanders:
 1T 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 Z, of the family wish 10 see the soldier. These letters. SC 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 g 6eSerter'
 T am now. through the newspaper. ot Indiana and through lecturers 1T Kentucky, whom we are able to reacf through the office of the adjutant gen e-ul Of that State, endeavoring to ad. wise the home people of these men o ths seriousness of these offenses anC that thei- efforts should be to assis every man in performing the duty tha Eas developed on htrn. 70 tighten hi, worries and. above all. to regard de Eertion in It's proper light I shall alst attempt to get the West Virginial papers to institutesa campaign of edu cation along similar lines
 "A division Inspector submitted tn udowing in this conasctioa:
 While stationed at Colunlbu Barracks. Ohio, last year 1 was. member of a general court .martia that tried approSima ately 100 enliste, men Tor dese=sion from Nationa Guard regiments stationed on tn border. beiieve am safe in sayinl that at least 90 per cent of them gay as their reason for dessrtion the fac that they had received letters iron home 10 the effect that a wife, sister or mother was either dying, very + 9r in destitute Circumstances, an begged the man to come home a once. hany=of siTs=.Hen adraate that when they. arrived . home the found that the writer of the letter ha exaggerated couditions5~
 A1ny young soldiers, fresh fror horse. suffer from hcmesickness. n matter Aow Army officers may try t make their surorndings pleasant an