The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-18
WANTS BOYS OUT
CONGRESSMAN Little Would Give
Discharges to the Troops.
Marine Officers Have Sense OF
Appreciation of Demands.

washington, Feb. IS. = Congress
man E. C. Little. of the First Kansas
district, sought to have incorporated
in the army bill provision that soldiers
should be allowed to file applications
for discharge from the military service
which, il overruled, should be subject
to review by the secretary of war.
1.-The war is over" Congressman
Little declared, land every boy in the
United States who has a job. whose
father needs him, Or where school is
open for him ought be discharged on
his application. The war is over over
there, even il it is not over over
here We are not indicting the de-
partment. We are reposing confidence
in it instead of in the irresponsibles.
Many Go to Marines
1--WE have just heard it stated that
great many soldiers are leaving the
army and going into the marine corps
as fast as they can get out of the
army. The reason for that, I suspect,
is because the officers of the marine
corps have more sense of apprecia-
ton of the demands and necessities
of the American people than have the
officers in charge of the orga nizatio
of the army. If you make out a good
case with the marine corps you can
get your man out. The trouble in the
army is that the final power to decide
whether a farmer needs his boy worse
than the army does is lodged with
thinks he is an irresponsible autocrat
and who is going to decide for himself
that question without regard to con-
sequences unless we enact the conse
quences.
''If the secretary of war needs more
clerks to perform the clerical work in
volved in such reviews, he could COM
mand the services of some of these
soldiers who are going around apd do
ing nothing. I would rather have
these petty officers, who have no sense
of responsibility. relieved any way. The
law should reach these feudal despots.
Review by Real Person.
Now, gentlemen, we ought to have
a Nreview by somebody with some
sense of responsibility, with some
views broader than those of a petty
officer or even of an officer higher
these cases. He is an American civil
ian citizen, at least, and he ought to
understand these things. Let him
have a proper board of review before
| a body of civilians.
I'VE have nearly 100000 men over
there, and today they are arranging
to raise 100000 more men in order to
let them out over there. I am not in
favor of quitting before the end is
reached, but this bill arranges for
that. Why should these men be held
| unnecessarily 1t is not necessary to
keep those who are ready to go to
school or work. We have been in
formed a few moments ago that often
boys released from the army in the
United States go right away and enlist
in the marines. The marine officers
have generally seemed to realize that
the needs of civil life now are superior
to theirs for the moment. They have
/ comported themselves with reason in
stead of insulting our taxpayers and
| their representatives. If you treat
| these boys well and act with compre-
| hension of the country's needs you will
I have no trouble in filling up the ranks
| as the experience of the marine corps
| oh