Evening star., 1946-04-19
Letters to The Star
Thinks a Military Shakeup
Would Be Desirable

To the Editor Of The Star:
Early favorable action by Congress
on bills to increase the pay of service
men presents q propitious occasion to
examine the return we can expect from
the record billions being allocated for
peacetime maintenance of the Army and
the Navy It is time we cast OF the
wartime hypnotism which convinced so
many that the services are sacrosanct
and servicemen are synonymous with
heroes.
If we are to give our service person.
mel, officers and men, a pay increase
(and I think we should within reason
able limits, we have every right to ex-
pect far greater efficiency and devotion
to duty than has been characteristic
Of Army and Navy personnel during the
past decade.
1t has been suggested that the en-
listed man has not yet been paid
sufficient compensation to permit him
to live decently, to marry and to have
a family. In some measure this is so;
however, II the situation is rectified it
is not too much to expect an improve
ment in the attitude and conduct of
GIs. Not during recent decades has
discipline, never high in United States
armed forces sunk SO low. The average
serviceman, especially when he is on
leave in cities like Washington, looks
and acts like bum. His uniform and
cap are sloppily worn, if worn at all.
He Is loud. rude, vulgar and too-often
drunk. He quite apparently has the
idea that every one should either genu-
fleet in his presence or deferentially
walk in the gutter at his approach. This
criticism applies to hashmarked veter-
ans and boots. CT misbehavior abroad
Is notorious.
1t is small wonder that parents who
have made any effort to rear their sons
to live cleanly and manifest reasonably
circumspect conduct see them enter the
services with apprehension. Enlight-
ened parents know that few, If any,
civilian environments can ruin a good
character as quickly as military life.
Onlcers are subject to even more
pointed criticism; and their derelictions
are even less to be excused. Certainly
officers are chosen on the assumption
that they have qualities of leadership
and Intelligence above the herd. Un-
fortunately, by and large, they have not
proved worthy of their trust. The Pearl
Harbor tragedy was largely the result
OF fumbling and inefnciency in the
highest ranks. Time after time during
the course of the war enlisted men lost
their lives because of poor leadership
Other enlisted men, taking their cue
from poor officers, became "goldbricks"
to greater or lesser degree. Perhaps
majority Of officers who so readily ac-
cepted the privileges of rank never
shouldered the accompanying respon-
sibility.
During my own four years in the
service, two of which were overseas, I
have on many occasions seen oficers
report for duty drunk without any dis
ciplinary action being taken. Had en-
listed men reported in similar condi-
tion a court-martial would have been a
certainty. I have seen work of most
urgent nature completely disregarded
by all commissioned ranks because they
had done enough for the day" This
was during wartime; peace will bring
even further slackening in attention to
duty.
The Navy, particularly, in booklets to
ofncer reservists, hints very broadly
that the peacetime Navy is q picnic and
social promenade, which, in fact, it
has been. =
1t is bit difficult to bring myself to
write this letter. because criticism of all
things military is an important part of
the Communist policy to weaken the
United States. However, feel that far
from giving the Reds comfort, a thor
ough shakeup in the armed forces
would provide the Nation with greater
rather than lessened security.
VETERAN,