, 1888-07-28
IN The REGULAR ARMY
Recruits Earn as Much Money as Men at
Any Manual Labor

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Recruits Earn as Much Money as Men at
Any Manual Labor
sit is a mistake 10 think that men who
enlist in the United States army are not
paid as well as citizens in the ordinary
walks of life" said a veteran who has
served under Uncle Sam for nearly a
score of years. Il think they are better
paid. If l didn't l wouldn't be in the
army today"
When asked to give a few details the
old warrior replied:
Take the place of a private. When
he enlists it IS for five years. The first
two years he gets $13 a month. The
third year he gets $14, the fourth year
$15, and when his term expires he is
receiving SIG. Nov, if he re-enlists
within thirty days his wages will be in
creased So month, making a private's
pay, after he has been in the army five
years, SIS a month, or S216 a year. That
amount, however, is clear profit. Every
thing in the line of clothes and rations
that is necessary the government fur
nishes.
''Now, :" asked the old soldier, ''where
is the man who works for So a day who
Is better off than n private in Uncle
Sans 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 "A man after enlist
ment and assignment to a post Is found
out to be skillful at any trade, so much
the better; he can make it pay. If he is
a shoemaker he can find plenty of em-
ployment and compensation. II he is a
barber he can always find subjects for
his azo If he is a tailor he can reap a
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 to do but
work at his trade, except, perhaps, occa-
sionally do guard duty. What do you
think he saved during his five years ser
viceS"
The newspaper man couldn't guess.
Between "a, 500 and So, 900" was the
reply. "Of course this man was careful
in his habits; he didn't drink and he
didn't play poker. But his case may be
cited to show what a man can accumu-
late while serving his country in the
modest capacity of an army private"
What are the highest wages paid by
the government to an enlisted soldierl'
was asked.
THE hospital steward is the highest
paid man in the regiment. He gets $45
a month-$540 a year and all his ex-
penses paid. A corporal gets SO more
than a private, or SIS "A month for the
first two years and 81 more each subse-
Guent year, with $50 for his second en-
listment. A sergeant gets So more than
a corporal, and in five years receives
S l,020."
Have you found that most Of the
men in the army are foreignersi' in
quired the reporter.
That is often stated" was the an
swer, ''but it is not the truth. Ny ex-
perience, which has been quite extensive,
has shown me that native Americans
form the majority of our men. There
are, Of course, many lrishnen and Ger
mans who enlist, but they are in the
minority"
WHO make the best soldiers9''
We'll, probably the Germans make the
best soldiers on post duty. They are
usually well-up in the manual. On q
calupaign-say out west against the Indi
ans-where we have to make long
marches over sandy or rocky country
III HNNolllt lIlltlllN Oll plI Ddthh.
fifty rounds of ammunition in our belts,
the sun pouring down its heat from
above, with no water except the few
pints in our c~anteens-in marches where
we have to do thirty and thirty-five miles
a day under such disagreeable circum-
stances-the German is apt to flag. He
can't stand it as well as the tough, hardy,
native American. The American makes
the best all around soldier. He's hard to,
beat.
Are there many desertions?'
THE proportion of assertions is quite
small in this country. The service is
voluntary, and the discipline is not I'M
necessarily severe. Besides, it is hard
for a man to desert without being re-
captured. Very frequently deserters
surrender themselves. After n few
months of freedom they discover that,
after all, soldering compares favorably
with manual labor as a private citizen. "
''How about soldiers marrying"
THE government doesn't want mar
ried men. An enlisted mar must get
permission from the commandant of his
company before he cen become a Bene-
dict. At military posts there are gem
orally one or two men in a company,
sometimes more, who are married. If
their wives do the laundry work of the
company they are paid for it. Other
wise a married soldier gets no more ra-
lions than if he We're a single man. -
Baltimore Herald.