The sun., 1918-12-26
TROOPS IN CLAMOR
TO BE SENT HOME
Rehabilitation in Camps
Here Proceeding Far Be-
hind Schedule.
COMPLAINTS IN CONGRESS-
Soldiers Not Permitted to APP
ply for Discharge, Let
tiers Assert.
COMPLAINTS IN CONGRESS
Special Despatch 70 TIVE Sun.

WASHINGTON. Dec. Months Of
delay. extending possibly into next
fall. will elapse before the demobiliza-
ton of the soldiers in the American
training camps is completed. This
was indicated in statements from Of
'ficial sources here to-day. The War
Department is now many weeks be-
hind the schedule for the discharge
Of tho soldiers which was laid down
when the armisticc was signed, and
with no prospect that tine programme
will be met even in an approximate
degree in the future.
Applications for discharge and pc
titions for the reutrn OF employees are
pending in tens OF thousands. with
small likelihood that action on the
bulk of them will be had within the
next thirty or forty days.
Letters voicing resentment over the
delay are being received in increas-
ing numbers by members of Congress
as well as by officials of the War
Department. Many OF the letters to
the members of Congress, besides tell
ing Of the circumstances that make
needful the return OF the soldiers to
their homes. declare that the men
have failed 10 get permission to file
applications for discharge.
some Real Grievances.
Some of the stories in the letters
n toll
arounsing sympathy among Congress
men. others are from individuals
whose circumstances are known to
officials here and who are in o po-
sition 10 vouch for the truth OF the
statements.
One large cattle raiser In the North
west who was drafted last summer 10
return to his home In order to look
after his property interests this win
ter. The man has been put in "A per-
manent training battalion and will he
retained in the service for an indefinite
period, il was stated.
In his application for a discharge
he pointed out that under the present
worldwide need for food he can render
a much greater service on his ranch
than in the army.
Other letters have come from men
who have complied with all of the re-
quirements IN asking for discharge
yet are held in the camps with no
prospect for an immediate release
one instance cited here is that more
than 200 men in the aircraft produce
ton bureau were held for FIVE days
until the Colonel in command could
obtain a certain rubber stamp which
he needed to mark their discharge
papers.
Red Tape n Check.
In another case about 200 men we're
held in a Western camp for three
weeks until the commanding officer
could learn tho name of the pay
master from whom they received their
last pay checks. Repeated kilograms
to the War Department for this infor-
nation failed to bring a reply.
The worst conditions apparently are
to be found in the camps of the South
ern States, where soldiers without re-
gard for the urgency for their return
home or need for them in industry
are being placed in permanent train
ing battalions and will be held in the
service until tic War Department has
put forward its new programme for
an increased standing army and Con-
gress has taken action in the matter.
So far Secretary Baker has declined
to discuss his plans along this line.
a large part of the complaint is
coming from industries and private
employers who are not able to obtain
the release of former employees. al
though making specific guarantees
for employment for the men as soon
as they are released.