South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-28
JULY 70. 1919.
MILITARY DISCIPLINE AND MILITARY
PENAL TIES

About the most disgusting Of the Inconsistencies
of certain OF our near-statesmen at Washington
quite paresicaIIy switching their facesssues forth
in the campaign that Sen. Chamberlain of Oregon
followed closely BY Sen New Of Indanaa, is wag-
ing; both universal military training advocates,
now believing like mad b ulls because military
training trains.
They have told US that American young men need
the discipline that discipline the big thing, the
training in military being in inciden-
tai to be utilized only in case Of necessity in
time Of war-and yet it seems them that even
in time of war; the discipline is the thing least to be
considered How you can get it, without enforcing
It, is 10 US something of mystery
Sen Chamberlan's bill introduced for the grant
ing Of complete amnesty all soldiers sailors and
marines convicted 10y courts martial except those
whose offenses would be felonies under federal
statutes gives some striking figures on the extent
TO which severe sentences were imposed during the
war The clemency board" ne says, has reduced
the sentences in the aggregate from 2S.oOo to
500 years" lie remarks reasonably enough that
this sv eeping reduction proof positive that the
sentences were out of all proportion TO the crimes
comrlitted. He hopes to see the balance brought
down to its "irreducble minimum"
Nearly all Americans civilians and service
alike will agree with him. bur it is only evil of
nnilitarism. Of which they complain, just the same
The revelation of the severity and irresponSibily
WITH which Inexperienced officers sitting in military
courts imposed sentences for seeming offenses has
shocked the nation and created insistent demand
for reform II is largely obedience this demand
that the sentences have been reviewed 81 carefully
and modified or snhulled in so many cases
stu it does not necessarily follow that sweep
ing proposal of Sen Chamberlin is altogether wise.
There is danger of over-sentinnentaIity
ter due 10 the reaction following the 1t must
be remembered that all military offenses are more
serious in wartime than i'm peace-time 1t would
hardly do 70 regard the general mass offenders
altogether from the tolerant viewpoint of a civilian
public tina. is glad war over.
sweep away unpleasant memories of it. and deal
over generously with everybody connected with
There should oe Justice done. and mercy shown
where there is reason for it: but there he
sternness retained. because the United States has
still maintain army. that army must be
disciplined and obedient
The cIemency hoard seems 10 be doing pretty
we'll Let it continue its work with discrimina ton
giving the soldier he benefit OF the doubt doubt
ful cases seeing that those who really deserve
severe punishment eet IT,
The fundamental remedy seems to lie rather along
the line of reforming the procedure of military
courts according to suggestions by Lieut.. Col
AnseT. Let the courts be composed officers who
know the law. and let them sock do justice
civil judges do Then there viii be no repetition Of
this scandal
Believing for universal military training and
then seeking 10 make of training that doesn't
train. makes a humbug of it-that is unless the'pur-
pose is not trainng but the creation of official
military caste for potca purposes,