New-York tribune., 1919-01-09
Programmes for Discharges
Are Scrapped in Favor
of Haphazard Procedure
Men Have No Choice
Question of Jobs Is Not
Considered in Releasing
Soldiers From Service
By Theodore M. Knappen

three weeks after the signing of the
armistice everybody in Washington had
reconstruction programme and the
principal business Of everybody was
showing his programme to the other
man with a programme. All these pro
grammes devoted special attention tc
rehabilitation. The War Labor Poll
cies Board had an especially fine de-
mobilization plan, all charted out in
red and black on thirty-foot scale
The Council of National Defence had
an unimpeachable programme. Gen
eral Crowder had one.
All of these were put up to the Cen
eral Staff, which, figuratively at least,
threw them into the wastepaper bas-
ket and went ahead with its own SIM
pie system of just sending the men
home-sending some whether they want
to go or not and whether they have
anywhere to go, and retaining others
who want to go and have places wait
ing for them.
This general programme of showing
preliminaries is modified by one order,
which permits men to be discharged
individually ahead of thHir units for
such reasons as domestic or business
requirements. The application of this
order, however, is left largely to the
discretion of local commandants, with
the result that it is applied in some
camps and practically ignored in others.
and has not amounted to much in the
aggregate as yet.
All System Is Ignored
If this order were to be broadened
and comprehensively applied, it is said,
there would be no demo bilization prob
lem. Every man who was required
at home or had a sure job waiting fol
him would apply for his discharge and
get it, while those without connec-
tions would be left to the last. Off
GERS naturally are ioath to destroy
their local organizations and tend to
keep the best men till the last moment,
and these are often the men who are
most needed in civil life.
On the other hand, when the time
comes for the unit to be discharged,
everybody therein goes out of the army,
even if he wishes to stay and hasn't
the faintest idea of where he will land
in civil life. This despite the fact chat
rehabilitation will soon be proceeding
at the rate Of a hundred thousand a
week-a rate that threatens to leave
the army at home without enough men
to man the forts and guard stores.
Many men doubtless would be glad
to re-enlst at once, but there is no
authority to take them, until Congress
restores the privilege of voluntary en-
listment. In the meantime the army
discharges a unit, sends all the men
in it to a post within $50 miles of
where they were drafted or enlisted,
wish TO stay in the neighborhood of
their last camp and have positions
waiting for them there.
Discharge Points Chosen
Thus, if man enlisted at San Fran
cisco, he will be sent to San Fran
cisco when it comes the turn of his
unit TO be discharged. He can't waive
his transportation privilege and walk
out OF the camp. To San Francisco he
goes willy nilly. He may be at Camp
JOB waiting for him in New York. But
the government insists on his taking a
free ride, with rations to San Fran
cisco, with the privilege of paying his
way back to New York and nothing to
pay it with Later on he may go into
the army again, and then will prob
ably have to be transported back to
the Atlantic coast.
So far there has been no great
H.. IA.
from the practice Of turning the SOL
oiers loose by units, but it is feared
that when the men begin to leave
the camps at the rate of $1,000 to 3O,-
200 day there will be thousands Of
men temporarily without employment
Officials of the government EMPLOYMENT
service think that if the men were to
be discharged on their individual appli-
cations without hesitation and delay
they could, after a short time, be re-
leased just as rapidly as by the preg-
ens method, and with practically no
unemployment resulting. Positions are
waiting, 1t is estimated, for 50 to 70
per cent Of the soldiers as soon as thew
are released.
While the present system Of unit
mastering out prevails the Employment
service is doing the best it can by
ssnoing its agents to the camps and
s>~htHshL5 IN ADVANCE OF dcrnOOliiZ-
ing TO consult with the men and en-
os1Vor TO arrange employment for the
Aen'aining 30 TO 40 per cent
according TO official announcement,
ismarxaole results have been attained
~ some camps, notably at Camp Dew
ns' There the employment agents
sae 1ave interviewed II ,907 men in the last
sshnTsy days. OF these, it was found
saas 6,!21 needed no assistance, s0I
we're placed in new jobs, $3.50 were
.elefred back to old jobs, and 1878
we're referred to appropriate employ
"ent service Offices.
Re-eniistments Expected
army men believe that whatever un-
employment, 30 far az the home army
- concerned. follows rapid mastering
..s wiii be quickly neutralized by the
ssa 70 reeniist az soon AZ ii in per
sMa'ss'oie 10 do 30. They estimate that
~ per cent Of the unattached men will
fs1oiy JON the coIors again after a
Asw wseks Of civil life.
she navy appears 10 have followed
ssster system than the army in de-
n1.cliNzing. There the men elipibie TO
snsehArYe are asked 10 state whether
snsy "Izh 70 quit or remain in the
ssfy'cs Tor the present, and II they
"isn 70 70 they are released promptly.
81 some cynical obseryers say that all
sns profound talk about general post
sssnum reconstruction viii amount 10