Arizona republican., 1919-04-17
How the Soldiers Feel

We have just read letter from Arizona sol dier who went to France year and half ago, fought on the front until the arstice was signed; was kept in France some months in miserable blets until all the enthusiasm he had worked up in favor of world made safe for democracy" had evaporated and some time in March rather dsgusted warrior was sent home with the expectation that he would be immediately discharged.
 He reached an eastern camp about a month ago and from it he writes He says that his military. duties consist of going about the company streets picking up "snipes, that s cigar and cigarette buts and other refuse thrown carelessly the ground. This occupation is varied by the exciting and heroic feat of dumping ash cans. He adds bitterly: This is fine appreciation of what boys did there7 The longer he wrote, the heartfelt his letter became. He said There some millions of us that feel this about it and these birds (mean ing the authorities responsible for this detention) will hear from us after the war is over"
 Farther along, intimated that all the bolsheviki are not at present in Russia.
 Not long ago a well-known Arizonian a man of intelligence and observation who had served year in France and was some time stationed at Brest be- fore he sent home. was asked regarding the sentiment of the soldiers; to what the political ef feet upon this country would be- whether it was true that great many more republicans would return from France than went over there
 lie replied: q do not know; I believe though that the war has broken up the solid south. But did not hear of the soldiers proclaming that they were republicans or that they democrats Most of them at present socialists. But I suppose that when they get home; get deloused and into civilian clothing again, they'll better But they are sure sore bunch Their present disposition is to hold somebody responsible"
 No war in which this country was ever engaged had such unfortunate aftermath We believe largely due to the incompetency with which the de- mobilization of troops has been managed They could not of course, all sent home at once: that was a physical impossiblfty and beside there was the unemployment problem to be considered Fut if has been considered only in the crudest most ele mentary way; by the simple process of letting the men dribbe back without regard whether they would add 10 the unemployment situation or not: without regard to any selective process. It has been all hggle- de -piggledy
 A very large majority of the men who were drafted or who enlisted went from jobs where they were badly needed and yet needed A minority But perhaps large one, from no iobs or if so from places which have since been permanent1v filled There has been no distinction in demobiIza- ton between these classes of soldiers but it appears that more jobless have been released than sol ders who had jobs awaiting them. That. of course IS the result of accident rather than design. Rrt such thing should be left to accident That is the burden of the complaint
 This soldier from whose letter we have ouoted b.s an aged mother awaiting him and some small de pendents He has small property which needs hi. attention It is no wonder he feels that his time wasted Tn picking up "snipes" or that Yin dun1pinr aS-cans and other refuse receptacles he is exposin himself 10 the germs of bolshevism.