The Colorado statesman., 1921-06-04
.BERCDOLL WILL
Be BROUGHT BACK
PROPOSES TO GET
THAT CHIEF OF sLAckERs
AND PUNISH HIM.
WHY HIS CASE STANDS OUT
Someone Evidently Sold His Country,
Like Benedict Arnold, but the lat
ter Infamous Man Wasn't a Cheap
Traitor.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.


Washlngton.-Govern authori-
ties are trying. through the office OF
the secretary OF state, to compass the
return OF Grover Cleveland Bergdoil.
draft evader. to the United Stntes.
The promise is today that means Will
be found TO bring this chief of the
slnckers back to this country and TO
mete out to him such punishment as
the courts may direct.
There is great interest In Washing
ton in this Bergdoll case, as there
seems to be thoroughout the country
especially in the ranks of the veterans
of the great war. The spectacular
nature of the slacker's escape from
custody. the fact that a former United
States army officer of high rank Is
under the fire of criticism because OF
the escape. and also the fact that the
commander of the American Legion
has said of Bergdoll, "He Is the one
Boche we want" make this case sa-
liently important in an interest sense
and, It may be ventured, in news
sense as well.
One thing seems TO be certain-the
United States government is going to
get Bergdoll back If any known means
of getting him back can be found. Pos
sibly the statement might be dared
that if the government does not get
him back an instrumentality other
than the government may get him
back There are ways and means or
doing things. and sometimes, perhaps,
.I hn fhnIrGnn1G
dispute it. the end iustifies the means.
He Has Nothing but Money.
Bergdoll is an insignificant Amer
lean. The man apparently had moth
ing but some money to commend him
to notice. but there are those to whom
cash is recommendation. What does
a man get for selling his country? L
am reminded by this question OF
black record which appears on the
wall of the old cadet chapel at West
Point. Benedict Arnold suffered for
his country before he betrayed II, but
betrayal overbalanced everything that
can be put into the other side of the
scale.
On the walls of the Military acad-
emy's old chapel, which recently has
been removed from its original site
and rebuilt stone for stone in the ca
det cemetery, there are shield-shaped
black marble tablets bearing on their
surfaces in letters of gold the names
of the general officers who served In
the Continental forces during the Rev
olutionary war. On one tablet, set
where the eyes of all cadets may see
it. a name in gold was inscribed, ana
then let into the name were llttle
blocks of black stone blotting out the
letters except the upper and lower
parts of each, just enough being left
TO let one know that the blotted name
is that of Benedict Arnold. Succeed
ing classes of cadets at West POINT
have looked on this object lesson OF
the black -blotted name for full cen
tury of time.
There have been men who, while
not willing to apologize for the CON
duct of Benedict Arnold, have tried
to explain half apologetically the rea-
sons for his treason Men have dug
into the past to find things to Arnolds
credit and there were many of them
from his high conduct in the field; his
wounds received in the service of his
country. and his kindly generosity to
those in need-but Arnold was trail
tor. and all else goes.
Others Really, as culpable.
Well, il is II long way in years and
good many other things from BeDe-
dict Arnold to Grover Cleveland Berg
doll. If it might so be put, Arnold
was not n cheap traitor. He certainly
made no attempt to evade fighting
duty. nor did anyone ever charge him
with physical cowardice. Bergdoll is
over there. Before long it is believed
In Washington he will be over here,
and then ono will see what may hap
pen to him,
But why Bergdoli any more than
anyone of the other slackers? They
were all Bergdolls and would have
done as he did if they had had the
gold certificates and the nerve to turn
them into yellow boys" and If they
had had the sublimity of Imagination
to think that they could fool the Amer
lean authorities into letting them start
on search for pot of gold hid away
under a mountain boulder at the foot
of the rainbow.
Training Camps Be Popular.
Officials of the War department
are encouraged by incoming re
ports that between 10000 and r.
600 young men will enter the citizens
military training camps that are 10
be held in the nine army corps areas
this summer. The first camp will be
ready for its trimming work on July g.
Secretary of War Weeks has issued
an appeal further to stimulate the
enrolment of citizens for service in
the comps. The secretary says:
"Plans are now being formulated
which contemplate month of train