New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-06-03
bERGD0LL WILL
Be BROUGHT BACK
GOVERNMENT 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 3. CLARK

BY EDWARD B. CLARK.
Washington.-Government authori-
tie are trying, through the office Of
the secretary Of state, to compass the
return of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll.
draft evader, TO the United S ates.
The promise is today that means will
be found TO bring this chief of the
slackers 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 Bergdoli 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
and, 1t may be yentured, In a 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 of
doing things, and sometimes, perhaps,
even though there be thousands TO
dispute it, the end justifes the means.
He Has Nothing but Money.
Bergdoll is an insignificant Amer
lean. The man apparently had moth
Ing but SOM money to commend him
to notice, but there are those to whom
cash Is a recommendation. What does
a man get for selling his country? l
am reminded by this question Of a
black record which appears on the
wall of the old cadet chapel at West
Benedict Arnold suffered for
country before he betrayed II. but
betrayal o~verbalanced 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
1et 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
dictionary war. On n tablet. set
where the eyes of all cadets may see
Il, a name in gold was inscribed, and
hen let into the name were little
blocks of black stone blotting out the
except the upper and lower
parts of each, just enough being left
let one know thar the blotted name
ne classes of cadets at West Point
looked on this object lesson Of
he black-blotted name for a full CEN
.ury of time.
There have been men who, while
lot willing to apologize for the con
of Benedict Arnold, have tried
explain half apologetically the rea
for his treason Men have dug
nto the past to find things to Arnold's
,redit, and there were many OF them.
rom his high conduct In the field his
wounds received In the service of his
country. and his kindly generosity TO
hose in need-but Arnold was a trail
or, and all else goes.
Others Really as culpable.
Well, 1t is a long way in years and
good many other things from Bene-
lict Arnold to Grover Cleveland Berg
loll. If it might SC be put. Arnold
vas not a cheap traitor. He certainly
made no attempt to evade fighting
Iuty, nor did anyone ever charge him
With physical c%owardice. Bergdoll is
'ver there. Before long it is believed
n Washington he will be over here,
nd then one will see what may hap
'en to him.
But why Bergdol, any more than
nyone of the other slackers? They
rere all Bergdolls and would have
one as he did II they had had the
old certificates and the nerve to turn
hem into yellow boys" and II they
ad had the sublimity Of imagination
0 think that they could fool the Amer
IAN authorities into letting them start
n a search for a pot of gold hid away
nder q mountain boulder at the foot
( the rainbow.
Training Camps Be Popular.
Officials of the War department
re encouraged by incoming re-
orts that between 10000 and H.
90 young men will enter the citizens
training camps that are to
e held In the nine army corps e
his The first camp will be
eady for its training work on July g.
Secretary of War Weeks has issued
n appeal further to stimulate the
of citizens for service In
he camps. The secretary says:
"Plans are now being formulated
hitch contemplate a month of train
~ for 1880 citizens between the
ges of sixteen and thirty-fve years