Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-05-13
DlsCOURAGING LETTERS
CAUSE DISTORTIONS

IDAcOOCnhdkNd ulBITEtt6
CAUSE DESCRIPTIONS
In a recent statement the war de-
partment strongly advises against
discouraging letters to soldiers:
Recent reports from commanding
generals Of certain army divisions in
dicate that one of the fruitful causes
OF soldiers absenting themselves with
out leave is the discouraging letters
from home. Such letters frequently
give alarming exaggerated reports Of
! conditions surrounding the soldiers
family, that some member is desper-
ately sick, that all are starving or
that they are in some way beine
harassed. In instances such letters
have so 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 de-
serting. Sometimes a mans pride or
fear has led him to desert.
Every soldier wants to receive let
ters from home. They should be
frequent, cheerful, hopeful and ap-
preciative of the sacrifices that he is
making for his country. They should
be full Of family incidents and cheer
ful home gossip. They should pro-
tect him from the trifling alarms
and the small annoyances of every
day 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 sold
iers is beyond estimate. The harm
that discouraging letters from home
do to him is clearly indicated by re-
ports at the adjutant generals office.
Here are some extracts from recen,
reports Of division commanders:
Il 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.
:" 4 am now. through the news
papers of Indiana and through lect-
lrers in Kentucky, whom we are able
to reach through the office of the
adjutant general of that state, en-
ieavoring to advise the home people
Of these men Of the seriousness OF
.hese offenses and that their efforts
should be to assist every man in per-
forming the duty that has devolved
IN him, to tighten his worries and.
above all, to regard desertion in its
proper light. / shall also attempt
% get the West Virginia papers to
Institute a campaign of education
along similar lines
"A division inspector submitted
he following in this connection:
While stationed at Columbus
barracks, Ohio, last year / was a
Of general court marital
hat tried approximately 100 enlisted
nen for desertion from national
,uard regiments stationed on the bor-
Ter. l believe l am safe in saying
hat at least 80 per cent of them gave
IS their reason for desertion the fact
hat they had received letters from
lome to the effect that a wife, sister
IF mother was either dying, very i'll
IF in destitute circumstances, ana !
eggged the man to come home at !
nee. Many of the men admitted
hat when they arrived home they
ound that the writer of the letter /
ad exaggerated conditions 4
Many young soldiers. fresh from I
ONE, suffer from homesickness, no :
natter how army officers may try 7