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Show WHY OUR SOLDIERS "5l" DESERT Within ten years, 40,000 enlisted men deserted from tho United States army. In 1911, tho number of de-sorters de-sorters was 7 per cent of tho enlist monts. In 1013, it was 17 per cent. Vet wo pay from two to flvo times as much ns nny European power for effective ef-fective riflemen. What Is tho matter mat-ter with Undo Sam's servlco? Thoro was somo hot talk at Washington Wash-ington a fow days ago, when Congressman Con-gressman Gardnor declared that tho United States Is wholly unprcnar3 for war. Now whether or not our military force should bo Incroased Js a question over which thoro Is room for argument. Hut every ono must ngrco that tho existing army should bo mado Into an efficient machine. Tho many desertions Indlcato thnt something Is wrong. It has some times been remarked thnt tho nrmy hns less democratic feeling than tho navy. Perhaps this has something to do with tho unpopularity unpop-ularity of army service. Anyway, critics are complaining that whon a prlvnto gets drunk, ho Is apt to get a stiff term In jail, while when on officer becomes over convivial he may got off with a mero reprimand. Tho Unitod States army officers nro a fine appearing body of men. smooth, resourceful, brainy. Nevertheless, Never-theless, nn offcnslvo caste feeling niny have grown up. An Italian pndrono may get work out of his so called dagoes by swearing swear-ing and cursing. Tho foreman of a a shop of American mechanics gets results, not by loud talk, but by quiet firmness, and even handed justice Ho associates with them on a common com-mon level. Army officers nro probably too much given to an nlr of nlooTMCM nnd superiority. Thoro nro ways of maintaining discipline, other than requiring re-quiring tho subordinate to saluto rnd tnko n position ns an Inferior. Perhaps Per-haps If thcro woro moro of a iplr't of comradeship botween officers nnd men, nrmy efficiency would not bo fio upset by tho incessant stream of desertions. de-sertions. Hm |