The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1919-01-01
JTUcKY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY l. 1919
TROOPS CLAMOR
TOBE SENT HOME
Decentralization In Camps Here
Proceeding Far Behind
Schedule.

Washington, Dec 25.-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
hcal sources here to-day. The War
Department is now many weeks be-
hind the schedule for the discharge
of the soldiers which was laid down
when the armistice was signed, and
with no prospect that the programme
will be met even in an approximate
degree in the future.
Applications for discharge and Pc
titions for the return 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 we'll as by officials of the War
Department. Many of the letters to
the members of Congress, besides
telling of the circumstances that make
needful the return of the soldiers to
their homes, declare that the men
have failed to get permission to file
applications for discharge.
Some Real Grievances.
Some of the stories in the letters
are told evidently for the purpose of
arounsing sympathy among Congress
men, others are from individuals
whose circumstances are known to
officials here and who are in a po-
sition to vouch for the truth of the
statements.
One large cattle raiser in the North
west who was drafted last summer to
return to his home in order to look
after his property interests this win
ter.-Fhe man has been put in per-
manent training battalion and will be
retained in the service for an indef-
mite period. it was stated,
In his application for a discharge
he pointed out that under the present
worldwide need for food he can rem
der 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 not
prospect for an immediate release.
One instance cited here is that more
than 200 men in the aircraft produc-
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 A Check.
In another case about 200 men were
held in a Western camp for three
weeks until the commanding officer
could learn the name of the paymas-
ter 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
Southern States, where soldiers with
out regard for the urgency for their
return home or need for them in in
dusery are being placed in permanent
training battalions and will be held
in the service until the War Depart
ment has put forward its new pro-
gramme for an increased standing
army and Congress has taken action
in the matter. So far Secretary Baker
has declined to discuss his plans a
long this line.
A large part of the complaint is
coming from industries and private
employers who are not able to obtain
Me release Of former employees, al
though making specific guarntees