Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-13
OUR NATIONAL POLICE
SOME FICTs ABOUT THE REGULAR
IRMY.

SOME FICTS ABOUT THE REGULAR
| IRMY.
| The Character of the Recruits Whom Uncle
Sam is Sending to the Frontier---Army
| Life, Wages and Prosp cts Military
| Qualifications.
| lChicago Herald.
| The regular army of the United States is
rapidly becoming Americanized. This
statement, paradoxical as it may sound, is
susceptible of verifcation by an inspect on
of the records Of the war de-
! partment for the past twenty years.
Until within the last decade the personnel
of the regular army WAS largely composed
| of foreigners, the mon, 10 tbs manor born
preferring other ald ic,re congeniai occa-
pations. TIE -nata-l5:paos:s from alien
to native born soldiers Is explained by the
fact that during tt'le CT. 557rar tie foreign
ers enlisted n .h3 70, Ei.r service, while
the Americans constituted the bulk of the
volunteer troops. At the termination OF
bostilities the volunteers were mustered
out of service and sought
more pacific employment, while the regu-
lar army remained as had been its coadi-
ton during the rebellion, with the foreign
| element predominating in its composition.
Now that the army pas been placed on
a peace footing, limited to $4,000 men,
more care and caution have been employed
il the selection Of recruits. A rigid en-
forcement of the qualification, which re-
quires Of the would-be soldier a perfect
knowledge of the English language, has
largely caused the change in the national
characteristics of the regular service, and
the same policy, if continued, will tend to
make the military branch of the body
polite an American institution in fact, IS
wei! as iu zane.
| The Chicago recruiting rendezvous is
under the supervision OF Captains John
H. Page and J. q. Adams, the former TAX
ing charge Of the infaatry and artillery,
while the latter directs the enlistments for
the cavalry branch of the service. The
qualifications OF recruits differ somewhat
in the two branches OF the regular service,
as, while both require that the applicant
shall be an able-bodied man, between the
ages of twenty-one and thirty-ive years,
| the infantry and artillery service REQUIRE
that he shall nc. &c less ,.,an Eve zee. four
inches high. no. ", ,. l.ss than 100 nor
more than $50 ponds; h9 cavalry service
limits the Applicant, leigh: between Eve
feet four ilcAcs END Gve feeS ten inches,
and Will lot co1n 'anance cpr:ulency that
goes beyond l55 poaiilI~.
The "powers tina. te' are certainly in
favor of the celibacy of the rank and file
of the regular army, as it is prerequisite
to enlistment that the applicant is unmar-
ried or divorced individual. This quail
| fcation was no doubt enacted for the pur
pose of Kidding the soldiers of all domestic
! cares which tend to make them disseminated
| and dissatisfied when stationed Oh the
| frontier. It also opens the field to per-
| sons of the stronger sex who have suffered
| from unrequited affection, and desire some
| means of quitting the scenes of their re-
cent defeat. The tender passion and the
feeling of desperation following that pas
sion die natural death, but the term Of
service for which they have enlisted goes on
the regular five years, and at the termiua
ton of that period they find themselves
better adapted to the army than any other
| vocation. and re-enlistment follows.
| The pay of private soldier is not the
|
| vice, rs, in addition to his ratioDs and
quarters, the soldier receives but $I3 per
month, or $156 per year, aggregating the
vice. For faithful and meritorious con-
duct, he is allowed 81 per month for three
years. service, So per month for four years
service, and So per month for five years.
service, in addition to the sum of $3.50.
| The demand for positions in the army
| is fair criterion of the business activity
throughout the country. When times are
| good comparatively few seek situations in
that profession where the hub ,e reputa-
| ton is gained at the c4nnons month, while
| in less accive SEASONS large
| number are willing tn sacrifice them elves
| for the country's veal, and at the public
expense. The fail Is the season OF the
| year when the lar ,e-t nNuoer OF applica-
tons are generally recorded, as the men
find the winter approaching without pros
| poets of steady employment, and thus seek
| to become one of the nations defenders.
/ The applicant is subjected to a medical
examination, his eyes thoroughly tested
and his knowledge of the English language
fully developed before he is permitted to
don the blue of the United States army.
During the last quarter AT applications
were received. and of the number but 1O7
| passed satisfactory examination and
were admitted. The accepted men were
largely natives born, as the foreign appli-
cants were rejected on an imperfect
knowledge of the English language, as
| well as on account Of their flat-footed
characteristics, which prevented them
from making soldierlike appearance. OF
the number accepted seven gave their &C.
equations as soldiers; five were musicians,
and ten left some clerical position to
shoulder their muskets. Eight carpenters,
| ten laborers and nine teamsters were
among the lucky number who we're privi-
legged to join the raw recruits. Three
painters, five shoemakers, five farm
ers, three cooks and two machinists
left their several trades and caliings
I to become members of the regular army,
| while only four butchers found their way
clear from the cleaver tn the prospects of
battle field. Five cutters naturally pass
| ed good examinations. and tne same mum
| Der of sailors transferred their services
| from the naval to the lani branch of the
| military department. Among the other