Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-04
Dirty Soldier
Didn't Get
A Dirty Deal
But What Of The Officer.
Who Did His Duty?
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
IN ALL the comment that I
have seen, both legislative
and editorial, on the case of the
martyrZcd mutineer of Fort
Bragg. not one word reproached
the young man.
He Spat IN the mess hall, lit
tered the floor near his bunk
and as a final offense, defiantiy
refused 20 obey-the officers. who
had not merely permission but
positive orders, IN the form Of
military laws. from the United
States Congress. 10 maintain
sanitary conditions and enforce
their lawful commands.
No other case in the military
history of the country has
aroused such motherly sentl-
mcntallSm and the war depart
mcnt. choked up with political
alarm at the bark Of one clam
orouS congressman, promptly
committed the sentence in a
tone of voice which amounted 10
a PLAIN reputation Of the OFF,
GERS involved.
THAT vas bad because the
occasion invited demon
StraiiOn of faith in those men
who hold commissioned rank IN
the army and recognition of the
fact that they too. To the num-
Der OF many thousands, are sac
-fiflc4Hg heir private careers and
their home life 10 serve with
troops IN training, and, If neces-
SAIA- 10 aght---y---
If an officer is unfit 10 hold
his commission he should he
eliminated. but II is dangerous
10 encourage a belief that the
commands OF officers are SUBJ
Jet 10 discount or appeal or
that the American officer is a
fool a ION Of -lAIan1-
Once that belief is conveyed
10 The enlisted soldiers they will
lose confidence IN their officers
and those who hold commissions
themselves viii look for way
out Of the service.
To humiliate them and 10 up
hold and commlsetate delIber-
atetS filthy and efSefediAht ~tib--
ordinate is 10 lnlure the army
as whole body not just the
individuals who. by a freak OF
publicity. are thrown into unde-
sired prominence
4 FTER all this Private John
"A liabinyak. who got 10 years
and somewhat, quickly marked
down 10 three years. for his
dirty behavior and defiance. was
not called upon 10 risk his life
or person or perform any cruel
task to keep out Of trouble
All ne had 10 do was conduct
himself with ordinary decency.
and the background Of the case
strongly suggests that II wasn't
ignorance bit a conscious plan
10 escape military service that
impcHcd him 10 initiate his
troubles by splitting on the mess
hall floor
40 officer could tolerate that
and retain Tho respect Of the
other soldiers and any officer
vino mad AiBched would have
deserved a court himself
The Washington Post editorial
unIntcntiQnally pat finger on
great American fallacv when II
pointed ont that civilians guilty
-ef armed robbery IN Washington
usually spend only a small frac-
ton Of 10 years behind prison
bars
That is the horrible truth of
the'mattcr. bat the reproach IL
on the courts and lures OF
Washington which. by their
cuipahle lenity. have created in
the national capital q crime rate
which would be a disgrace 10 a
frontier camp
The penalty for armed robbery
should 100 life, If not death. for
any armed man out on a stick
up must be assumed 10 have
murder in his heart. always
barring the imaginary case ~
The desperate father out with
gun TO steal the price Of a loaf
Of bread for his starving young.
TllE imaginary case may he
tossed out Of consideration.
for the police of Washington,
New York. Chicago or any other
city YOU care 10 name will not
confirm one such ennobled hold
up IN 10 years but viii argue. on
the contrary, that Stick-up men
arc UT1rdcruus criminals who
should be put away and forgot
ten so that honest. harmless
citizens may pursue life in reas-
enable safety
But law abiding mon are
robbed wounded. crippled and
killed by thousands every wear
and the cops arc made 10 risk
their lives capturing rodents.
who then are given seldom
more than seven years and usu-
ally loss on one count while