Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-04-12

Sowing Contempt for Military Rule
From George Roth~eM Brown.
Washington Post correspondent.
coEnes the story Of Nv the s4th
heavy artillery returned trJm France
van penaIlzed .or alleged damage %
French chateau ~ being compelled
10 work az common iaoore-s clearing
stump lands, eighteen miles from
Newport Sewg. II is claimed that the
men qusr.ered IN the chateau ruined
the hard aooi floors ard that ether
damage Vas done 70 French property
by the members Of the regiment and
because tire bill for the damage. re-
ported ax $500. vas reported ate. the
men had sailed for America they were
detained FOR month at hard labor as
pcnishment sor their crime. The
co1t II holding these men for the
thirty days ~ pay" for the $3.50 dam
ages Is reported az a. least $3.50, Gso
and the War Department has sud
denly realized that this is fairly ex-
pensive for disciplinary measures
and will quickly di1chargc the men
from the various rehabilitation
campx.
This IL only a brie: resume Of the
etory u the humiliation ~ which
thege men were pu: in order 10 pay
up for something which they claim Is
unjust. When the men were sent
over-seas 10 help make the world
safe for democracy. gane-minded
would be done. Al troops cause
some damage wherever they are
quartered. This In 70 be expected.
War Is not pink tea. From all re-
ports payment is invariably made by
the Americana before hey leave for
ali damage done, and from all appear
ances this Eeens to have been the
case with the Gath heavy artillery.
These officers and men when they
sailed tor home rish;fully Eel. that
they had finished their job. They
had Travelled 5000 miles and more and
fought eide by side vi F.. the French
and British To put the Hun out Ct
business. The men cay that all
claims for damages were adjusted.
After all the months Of hell through
which the officers and men fought,
the hardghips which they expected to
undergo were left behind and they
turned their faces toward America
and home they were confronted with
thig bill for damages and the subse-
quent payment in the form Of 30
days hard labor instead Of discharge
and home. Sounds like a decision
from a police court doesn't IT.?
Sounds like the gtory Of the road
Travelled by a criminal II certainly
does NOT sound like the story Of a
body Of heroes returning from their
grim tax awaiting for the reward Of
open armg and friendly smiles which
should rigatfuily be theirs.
This story should not BE- twisted to
reflect upon the French. That angle
Ut the tale IL entirely Subsidiary. II
there wag true bill for damages the
War Department should have seen to
II that the bill wag paid. Paid BY the
money provided for that purpose and
not paid by punishing the soldiers OF
the United States army at tremen-
co1s cost to the Taxpayers by keep
Ing the regiment intact TO- a mon'i
longer that 1t should have been. What
Will be the result OF such action on
The part III the War Department?
These men will leave the NC vice with
the price of victory and work well
done smothercd by the stigma which
var forced upon them the minute
they landed in their native land.
They will forever hate the military
syatem which made possible such I'M
called for action.
Such tactics breed C. Tempt: con-
tempt brceds disorder. disorder
breeds recruitment with all it's various
torns Of bolsheyisrn. Instead Of
sowing the seeds OF bolshe vism IN this
country az tn War Department IL
certainly doing from all the reports
OF the "conscientious objector" scan
dal and the courts-martia charges. 1t
should be studying the situation Of
the returning troops and doing every
thing possible to treat the men like
human beings and send them homo
With solid feeling that they have
been dealt with Justly and humane.y.
Now the goat has butted into the
livestock and produce market. and
hencefOrth daily uuotattons III, ~