Wichita eagle., 1888-08-26
IN TIE REGULAR ARMY
Eecruits Earn rs Mich Money rs lien AZ
Any Manual Labor.

Eecruits Earn rs Much Money sZsn AZ
Any Manual Labor.
sit is mistake to think that men who
enlist In the United States army are not
paid as well as citizens IN the ordinary
| walks of Efe," said veteran who has
served under Uncle Sam for nearly
score of years. Il think they are better
paid If l didn't wouldn'. be in the
army today"
When asked to give few details the
old warrior replied:
Take the place of private. When
| he enlists il is for FIVE years. The first
two years he gets SIS a month. The
third year he gets S14. the fourth year
SIS, and when his term expires he is
receiving $40. Now. Il he re-eniists
within thirty days his wages viii be in
creased s. month, making private's
pay. after he has been in the army five
years. sis month. or Sal6 year. That
amount, however, IS clear profit. Every
thing in the line Of clothes and <rations
thar is necessary the governments fur
niShes.
Now" asked the old soldier, ''where
is the man who works for So q day who
is better of than a private in Uncle
Sam S police force:"
The question seemed difficult and the
reporter gave it up.
That's not all, though" resumed the
military man, who evidently was proud
of his vocation. IF man after enlist
ment and assignment 10 pest IS found
ont ~ h, cL5ltft,l - ,,.r,,.h
the better; he can make it pay. II he IS
shoemaker he can find plenty of en-
ployment and compensation. Ii he is
barber he can always find subjects for
his razor. If he Is a tailor he can reap
harvest. Tailors are usually in demand.
and consequently IN luck. In the last
post in the west at which was stationed
the regimental tailor-an enlisted private
had practically nothing else % do but
work at his trade, except. perhaps, ooca-
sionally do guard duty What do you.
think he saved during his five years ser
vice!'
The newspaper man couldn't guess.
Between 81, eco and 5000 was the
reply. .'Of course this msn was careful
in his habits; he didn't drink and be
didn't play poker. But his case may DO
cited 10 show what n man can accumu-
late while serving his country in tho
modest capacity of an army private
.'What are the highest wages paid by
the government 10 III enlisted soidiery''
was asked.
1.-THE hospital steward is the highest
paid man in the regiment. He gets SIS
n month-$540 year and al his ex-
penses paid. A corporal gets 81 more
than private, or $l5 month for the
first two years and 81 more each subse-
Qucnt year, with $50 for his second en-
listment. y sergeant gets g. more than
a corporal, and in five years receives
$1,000"
Have you found that most of tho
men in the army are foreiguersl" in
quired the reporter.
That Is often stated" was the an
swer, but it Is not the truth. Ny ez-
perience, which has been quite extensive,
has shown me that native Americans
form the majority Of cur men. There
are, of course. many Irishmen and Ger
mans who enlist, but they are in the
minority
''Who make the best soldiers2''
"Well, probably the Germans make the
best soldiers on post duty. They are
usually well up in the manual. On
campaign-say out west against the Indi-
ans-where we have TO make long
marches over sandy or rocky country
with our accoutersnent5 on our backs,
fifty rounds of ammunition in our belts.
the sun pouring down its heat fror
above, with no water except the few
pints IN our canteens-in marches where
we have to do thirty and thirty-iive miles
O day under such disagreeable circum-
stances-the German is apt TO flag. he
can't stand il rs well as the tough. hardy,
native American. The American makes
the best ali around soldier. Hes hard 10
beat"
care there many desertionsi"
1.-THE proportion Of desertions is quits
small in tins country. The service IN
voluntary, and the discipline Is not I'M
necessarily severe. Besides, il il hard
for man 70 desert without icing re-
captured Very frequently desertars
surrender themselves. After few
months OF freedom they discover that,
after all. soldering compares favorably
with manual labor as private citizen. -
How about soldiers rnarrying?r
''The government doezn't want mar
ried men. an enlisted nan must get
permission from the commandant Of his
company before he can become Bens-
dict At military posts there are gen
orally ono or two men Ia = company.
sometimes more, who are married. II
their wives do the laundry work q tho
company they are paid for it. Other
wise married soldier gets no more IA
tons than IL he were single MAN.
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