Show TO PREVENT DESERTIONS We Ve are a a. good deal interested in tho he letter from an enlisted man at Fort Douglas published In a recent number of The Republican Tho The writer believes desertions from the thc army arm are caused by a a. too low pa pay by the thc absence of ot the canteen and the thelong thelong long ong period between paydays Wo We think ho he Is two-thirds two right right right- which is doing pretty prett well for an any reformer in or out of ot the thc army The pa pay is too small The Thc men Inthe in inthe the tie army would be better for the reestablishment re- re establishment of the canteen But wedo wedo we wo woo do o not believe anything would be gained by bl making paydays more fre- fre quent There is no question the pay par is too low ow In evel every other lino of life or lire or orn in n nearly nearh every ery other line the line the corn com for human activity has been increased in tho the past half hal century No increase has been made in the pa pay of ot the tho soldiers This is all right maybe when there thero is the Inducement of acion action action ac- ac tion ion when danger to the country stirs the he patriotic ardor of men But the soldiers in the regular arm army in time timeo o of peace are arc depended on to a a. great extent by the nation and they have havo a acry aVery aery Very cry natural wish to be regarded as human buman beings since sinco the they are human Duman The They cannot very well save money no matter bow how careful and orderly the they hey may be And in a month or so softer after fter enlistment they become discouraged discouraged aged ged and then the temptation to desertion de de- is before beCore them constantly Itis It Itis Its is s a pretty severe ere test of the forti- forti udo ude of ot a n man And it certainly Is the consensus of pinion opinion m that the canteen would be a benefit to the men in the army It Is certain drunkenness drunkenness- has Increased since ince the canteen was abolished Itis It Itis Its is s certain the average good conduct of the men has suffered The They are not So so o healthy and healthy and their diseases latterly are of ot the less creditable character The canteen adds mone money to the company compan funds and the table board hoard boards Is s the better for that income income an an income income in in- come como which is impossible of securing without the tho canteen But Dut the soldier r does not need a more frequent payday pada He has hal his board and lod n taken care are of or b by thc government HIs His nee bills are made on the basis of the present pa pay day dar I If he gets sick he la is taken to the hospital and medical attendance I is furnished without charge to him Tho The absolute necessities are all pro pro- vided It might add something to the tho convenience but the monthly payday is surely not very much of ot a a. reason for Cor desertion A little better pay for soldiers and the establishment re-establishment of the canteen would go a long way yay to prevent pre this dishonor onor among the enlisted men of ol the tho arm army |