The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-01-03
Gen. Edwards Expresses
His Views as to Men in
Uniform
LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
RECEIVE LETTER

ant to SoldlerS-SeVeral Instances OF
Unbecoming Conduct Reported in
Brattleboro.
Instances of soldiers overstepping
their rights without feeling the hand of
the law have come to the attention of
local officers. In fact such instances have
happened right here, but because of the
natural feeling of leniency toward the
men in uniform unless their otfenses are
very bad there has been hesitancy about
placing them under arrest.
One night recently when train came
in from Greenfield and a member of the
Red Cross canteen was going through the
train with cigarets two men in civilian
clothes asked why they were not served
also. 1t appeared that they were sol
liers, but had bought cheap suits of
clothes and put them on in order to buy
booze in Greenfield Their uniforms
were in their suitcases. They were not
given the desired cigarets
| Recently some soldiers under the in
| fluence of liquor on the train were bois-
ferrous and refused to obey the conductor,
who did not enforce his orders because
they wore the army uniform. Another
soldier urged that the offending soldiers
| be put off the train, as their conduct was
a reflection on those who We're behaving
themselves. Soldiers under the infiu-
ence of liquor have accosted girls in Brat
/ tleboro within a day or two.
/ Leniency toward soldiers committing
4 oifenses, on the ground that they wore
the United States uniform. is contrary to
the wishes OF Maj Gen. Clarence r. Ed
wards. Cen Edwards has addressed a
lletter from the headquarters of the
northeastern department in Boston to
IGovernor Graham, copies of which have
i been sent to officers in the state, in.
lcluding Windham county and Brattle
boro, in which he discusses this question
as follows:
My dear Governor:
II | learned upon my return to the United
States that an enlisted man who Is hon
orably discharged from the Service il
permitted to wear one suit of outer uni
form clothing from the place of the ter
lmination of his actual service to hi
, home, and now understand that he MAJ
lretain his uniform.
When a soldier is discharged from tn
|, Army, it goes without saying he revert
: to the status of a civilian and the Arm
| has no jurisdiction over him even thougl
: he wears his uniform. Again, shoul
) these men become guilty of intoxicatior
G disorderiy conduct. or other violations o
. the law, the disposition of their case
f falls to the civilian authorities, as tn
n Army has no jurisdiction in the matter
Ii is reported to me that there hav
r been cases of discharged soldiers, VIII
4 We're still wearing the uniform of tn
$ United States Army, obtaining liquor i
G New England, and have been seen in puf
! lie places in an intoxicated condition.
:, ! know that, as rule, civilian author
s ties are inclined to be kind and toleran
Ito a soldier and are loathe to arrest
s IMAM in uniform on account of the serviC
that the uniform indicates, and would [
j. lglad to show him every consideration
l. The federal law prohibits the selling
o intoxicating liquors to soldiers in un
N form, and as YOU readily understan
m any such acts tend to bring discredit c
n the uniform of the Service because fe
( can diiferentiate between the soldier
it active service and the one discharge
ell both clad alike as they will be under Il
1f circumstances.
All these things warrant my writir
Iyou to make the suggestion that all ms
in uniform who are guilty of intoxic
tion, disorderly conduct, or other viol
q tions of the law, be Immediately arrest,
- by the civil authorities. If the man
larrested claims that he has been di
charged from the Service, his case C;
ed then be disposed of by the civil author
ties. If he is still a soldier would I
(quest the civilian authorities to turn hi
over Immediately TO the military.
,et | will issue orders that provost guar
=, and others in authority operate
100 every way with the civil authorities, a
IA if such military authorities have
ho jurisdiction they will inform the CT
ri,- authorities, that nothing untoward m
: happen to impair the good record that
q, understand has been made througho
:, New England as we'll as in France.
II L You viii appreciate it is wise to anti
:, pate this matter and make provision
~ far as possible, as there win be gre
=. many discharged soldiers in New FL
- land and the numbers will constantly
crease as Rehabilitation progresses, a
unless energetic steps are taken at OF
to meet this situation, and defn
policy in regard to it outlined and
forced and complete cooperation be CT
by tinlled between the civil and militia
authorities, perhaps unfortunate thin
may happen.
"a i trust that this view of the case "
oW meet yours, and I take the liberty
to- sending 100 mimeographed copies of t
ar letter with the suggestion that they
tol distributed to the proper officials of W
state as an inclosure, if YOU think wi