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AMERICA'S MILITARY DELINQUENTS

HOW BACKSLIDERS ARE REFORMED. San Francisco, June 25. When a nation has 2,000,000 men under arms, and especially when those 2,000,000 soldiers, having been but recently called , from civilian life, are being remoulded along tho lines of military discipline, it is only natural aud expected that some of them will fall before they can standwill violate Army tradition's and regulations and must pay the penalty for misconduct. Thus there is occasional mention in the nowspapors of the United Siates of soldiers in training camps whoso transgressions have drawn ''prison aentencoa." They go to Alcatraz Island, in San Francisco Bay. Only they don't call it a "prison" any more. Instead, Alcatraz now has "disciplinary barracks, Pacific branch." Moreover, there has been, as in tho name, a chango in methods and purpose. Instead of being a prison, Alcatraz has become, dating three years ago, a place where tho "down and outers," the men who disgraced tho United States uniform by careless or reckless transgression, are "made over" into honourable, eolf-re-specting citizens, qualified and anxious | again to toko, their places in this world ot individual competition. Such weaknesses as they may havo had—for instance, inclination to indulge in strong liquor—are corrected under cheerful surroundings. Ambitions that have been dulled brought again to a 6harp edge. . Aptitudes are discovered, and training is made to promote future usefulness. .Tust as soon as a. man shows ho has the will and heart to "make good" outside, officers interest themselves in his case to securo his liberation on parole. Tho records of Alcatraz are full of ouch cases, and also of tho later evidence showing how K.rely havo such opportunities been wasted. Paroled men, it has been found, rarely disappoint thoso that have recommended their freedom. Innumerable letters on file prove this. The men writo back to testify their appreciation of tho valuo of their training in the disciplinary barracks, and to tell how well and how straight they ara walking. Often they state'that, thanks to instruction received while at tho barracks, they havo been enabled to earn more money than ever before in their lives Some of them mention buying Liberty bonds or subscribing to the Rod Crivss. There are virtually no "backsliders." Tho vocational department is training men to bo clerks, bakors, engineers, tailors., bookbinders, plumbers, printers, carpeiitcrs, painters, and a 6coro of other trades

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19180812.2.18

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 277, 12 August 1918, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
393

AMERICA'S MILITARY DELINQUENTS Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 277, 12 August 1918, Page 4

AMERICA'S MILITARY DELINQUENTS Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 277, 12 August 1918, Page 4

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