Deming graphic., 1920-08-31
L. S. ARMY DISCIPLINE sAGGING


about as safe To live neighbOrs with
guardlesS pemitentisry as with the
United States Army. LAW abiding cit
izens arn't safe sitting en famllle ana
away from the main streets Is. to judge
from the local papers, about as safe as
going over the top in trench warfare.
Thugs ia L. =. Army uniforms are
most common. II is shock 10 most
cit lZens who look upon the army with I
pride and confidence M n part of the
machinery of protective government.
What is the cnuseT' they are asking. |
and cant something bc done about it.
Whore is the discipline In the army go 1
ingT Where are the officers who com
mand these wandering gun men?
/ II the average citizen and particular |
/ ~ some of the veterans Of the world |
WAR were accused Of contributing 10 |
delinquency Of these Young soldiers. !
| they would probably protest with We
Ihcmcnce. Yet the discipline of an ar
my aud lis efficiency Is bur a prOJec
/ tion 0f the moral fitness Of the citi
zens from which the army Is drawn.
/ American morals agd morale are far
from ideal at the present time.
There has been reaction against
law and restraint In every walk of life.
when m0llycuddles over the country
were introduced to army discipline
they didn't like it, hut the war was on
land they had tu take things as they
were. Much Of the American army
ovcn many units with the besr or
fighting records. were not properly or
IL ..rf 4
and supplied. Under the influence Of
pacifists the country was unprepared
for the task before H. Only n great
moral effort Of united people at
home and In the field carried the ma
ton to victory that and n lot of luck.
Then came the reaction. Many mis-
takes had been made. \ general at
tempt was made Ito fix responsibility,
to find the goat The court martial
system was attacked and this apparent
severity and uncertainty Of punish
mpnts pointed out officers were called
inefficient. selfish cruel. according 10
the part they had been called upon to
play. Much that was charged was
true. but it was finally decided that
the size Of the task and the unpre-
y
|cuu~ed most of the trouble and there
was a general inclination that the ms
takes bc charged off and the books
closed Even Hard Boiled Smith and
his kind were found TO he but goats
for the higher ups who could not be
successfully attacked for initiating the
, repreSsiys measures 10 meet the ap-
y raliing condition created by an army
VI "hard boiled" deScftcrS who would
do most ANYTHING in the way Of vio-
. ioucr except fight the enemy. The
ANOMALY is this the general who said,
;. "bc hnrd-builed." is commended for
- his rirmnesS in handling a threatening
>lmation but the underlings who adj
.mini-tprcd the hard boiled medicine,
mot always with Judgment, are held an
.nnuthema forever
An hystcrical attempt was made Ia
! amend the articles of war to suit the
j humanitarian ideas in vogue. Fortu-
y uatcly there were enough cool heads IN
u congress tn prevent the emasculation
II of the code and consequently weaken
x mg.of the hands of those charged with
II maintaining In discipline Of the army
j. But the agitation gave the immature
and often disorlerly recruits the idea
that they we've being mistreated 10y
IS their officers and that they could gel
~ away" with almost anything. There
Is were weaknesses In the code that need
ed elimination. but on the whole th'
! .attrmpt to introduce the tricky ant
| hurdcnSomc civil code into military
courts was successfully resisted ant
I summary Justice is still possible III th'
' army. especially when it most needed
in times Of public peril. by what pool
instruments This life and death cod'
=, is administered is another matter. Al
~ officer who has not learned the cod'
bv intimate contact with the army ovel
, "A long period of years, who hasn
y. demonstrated that he understands men
Il. is unfit to he the repository ot Sucl
4 nutocrntic authority An officer mus
T.. hr subject to all the restrictions whicl
N. discipline imposes through him ON In
=. subordnates.
10 There are at least two classes tina
:. dcsihe discipline to be maintained. Ont
N class is composed of the decent enlisted
pr mon who often are called upon To Sleel
-v with. eat with. work with ana pln.
r. with mregcncratc young ScOuhurci
As with whom in civil life they woul'
lt have only vague acquaintance. Onl,
n. discipline that bites will protec
re the morals, the private property am
peace Of mind Of those young men wh
M are in the army because OF patriotl
ar sentiments. wholesome desire for ad
D. venture q wish to submit themselves {
to command that they may In turn d
,n commanders. This class does not con
al plain Of discipline and they are seldoT
e. the victims Of its iron hand. There ar
he few officers hov sver% "mutton-heat
li- ed" who can't appreciate the on
IN great prof Of their authority create
lis hy the clean intelligent and willin
Ir, men Of any American army command
nj u is 10 these men that the army owe
n IFS discipline for IL is they who man
,r. tnin It. When they steD aside the bes
Il officers are powerless with all thei
he autocratic authority to subdue On
ho hoodlums that will fill any rank ope
ng TO all who would join. The secon