The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-07
By GoLDIE AYERS LYMAN

By GOLDIE AYERS LYMAN
 Camp Benning. Columbus, Ga, August Special )-Just why thousands of enlisted men applied for discharges from the army as soon as the opportunity was presented has been a matter of much speculation.
 It has been interesting to me to have an insight into the life of the enlisted men and their families at Camp Benning and to note how much is being done for their pleasure.
 In speaking of the exodus from the army the Washington Star says: Judging from the applications Tor discharges from the army that have been reported from various posts there will be no serious trouble on the score of reduction ordered by Congress, concerning which Secretary Weeks recently expressed him self with apprehension. For example. 8 dispatch from Newport News states that more than 50 per cent of the several thousand enlisted men sta- tioned at Fort Monroe, Langley Field and Camp Eustis have asked to be mustered out. This Is but one of nu- merous cases. It would appear that the enlisted men are disposed to get out of the army regardless of their terms, by taking advantage of the necessity of reducing the ranks. Just why should this be? Unemployment prevails to an unusual degree throughout the country. Yet thous- ands are asking 10 be discharged be- fore their enlistments have expired They either have specific employment assured or they find the army condi- tions so distasteful that they are willing to take chance
 The motives of these men who are seeking discharge should be ascer- tained officially. If there is anything in the service conditions which makes men want to leave it should be known and if possible corrected The fact that there are more men in the army today than Congress has pro- vided for and that a reduction is nec- essary does not lessen the need of an inquiry into the motives of those who wish to quit. Even if disarmament IS effected through international agreement, regular army establish ment must be maintained of some size. It is highly desirable that tho terms of enlistment and the condi- ttons of service should always be such as to insure full ranks"
 Among those expressing reasons for this great rush for discharges was sergeant who has been in service for many years and in answer to an Inquiry remarked Tt is my opinion that the old soldiers among the ser geants and corporals are leaving be- cause so many young men, totally unused to discipline have come in since the war, making discipline so hard for them to inforce. Most Of the soldiers who are leaving are boys who are serving their first enlist ment. It takes three years to make good soldier. The boys applying for discharges have become dissatis- fled with discipline and without stop ping to think of their future are rush Ing out into the ranks of the unem- ployed. I have talked to numbers of discontented boys and succeeded in changing their views after they had stopped long enough to listen to reason"
 Captains View
 I heard a captain express this 5iew of the situation. q attribute this mad rush for discharges to the psy- chological effect of the announce ment. They just caught the mob spirit when a chance for a change was suddenly presented and one after another decided to go with his bud die, without pausing to investigate chances for betterment in civil fife. Quite number of fellows who have obtained discharges and failed 10 ob- tain jobs have already come back to me. acknowledging their mistake and seeking way to get back, realizing