The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-18
DUTY OF SOLDIER IS SET FORTH
IN GENERAL ORDER ON DESERTER

! ton. especially when committed in
time of war, this order and general
court-martial No. S Will be read to
every organization in this command
at the first available opportunity at
ter receipt. and viii thereafter be
posted upon the company bulletin
board.
Since men have progressed to a state
Of civilization, in which they organized
themselves into society, and created
governments for the orderly mana ge-
ment of their affairs, the fundamental
relation between the citizen and his
government has been recognized.
namely that the government is bound
to protect and defend the citizen, and
the citizen. when required, is bound
to serve and protect the government.
Military service, particularly obliga-
tory military service, to which We are
now accustomed in the national army,
represents the essence of this obliga-
ton. When a soldier enters the milf
tAry service, the obligation which he
assumes is quite different from that
which he undertakes when he engages
in civil employment There is prac-
tically no employment in civil life
at the present time which an employe
may not leave of his own free will
provided he serves notice on his en-
ployer, but It is quite different with
the soldier Since he is obligated by
ythe whole theory of society to serve
his government, society will not per
nit him TO alter his relation to the
government at will. He must con-
ttnue to serve until death, or the gov
eminent voluntarily releases him from
his obligation. When a soldier seeks
to sever this obligation of his own
volition by absenting himself with
out leave and remaining away with
- -
serter, an offense which is punishable
by death in time of war. The rea-
son for this drastic penalty Is obvious.
War is a test to which nations are
periodically subjected to determine
whether they shall survive, and II a
nation in the hour of its peril can
not depend upon the loyal support of
all it's citizens then 1t must perish,
and with It everything for which 1t
stands. In the presence of the enemy
punishment for desertion is certain
death, but inasmuch as our new arm
les are still In the process of acQuir e
ing the habit of mind which consti-
tutes discipline the general court
martial in the present instance has
properly adjudged confinement for
twenty years In penitentiary. Such
long term of confinement blots out
the best part OF this young mans life,
so that his punishment is practically
equivalent to a life sentence. The
consequence of his Ill advised act will
follow him to the grave. because when
he enters the penitentiary he becomes
a felon, for life. and~ a felon In most
jurisdictions cannot hold public office
serve as a juror, vote at any muni-
cipal, state or national election, or
exercise many OF the other preroga-
tives OF citizenship
Treason consists in adhering to the
enemies OF our country, giving them
aid and comfort. therefore the traitor
is lothed by all mankind; desertion is
equally loathsome because the desert
er not only seeks to shift his share
of the burden of defending the state
upon others but because nine out of
every ten deserters In time of war are
towards. In democratic army, such
as ours where the door to political
favoritism has been shut, where the
ranks are being combed for men capa-
BILE of leading others. where every
wrong is so quickly redressed. whore
the soldier surrenders only those pre-
negatives of citizenship necessary to
insure his-chssrful subordination to