The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-06-06
COUNTRY BOYS IN BLUE.
WHERE REGULAR ARMY RE-
CRUITS COME FROM.
Two-Thirds OF Them Are From tho
Tarms-But 1t IL Not Such IN
Easy Thing to Get Into the
Army Nowadays.


recruiting Office. his blue uniform tell
ing you that his profession is soldier
ing. He Is one OF Uncle Sans defend
ers. and some OF his profession seem to
think that the whole government rests
upon them. Well, he is a fine specimen
of physical manhood; of that you may
DO sure for before he got that coat he
passed an examination thorough in
every detail. Moreover his moral
character Is up to a certain standard
and his intellect is of ordinary rank.
He has taken the oath; he was securely
sworn in; he is a soldier.
What was he before thatp His uni
form hides almost every trace Of
previous occupation. and he may be
from Kilkenny or California Why did
he seek the ranksp Was 1t because
Medals, rank, ribbons. lace. embroid-
cry, blue coats are things immortal to
immortal MANI An uniform to boys Is
like a fan to women. Or perhaps he
thought that $13 month. rations ard
lodging sure to come. preferable to his
former mode OF existence. II he Is "a
young fellow OF an age when the brains
are easily impressionable he may have
been reading all the late war stor;es,
and may have been militiaman and
thinks that army duties are as easy rs
militia work. He win find a rude
awakening. On the other hand that
recruit may be the mortal and immortal
remains of farmer whose crops were
bad, whose lands were mortgaged
causing him to reverse the millennial
hope and beat his plowshare into a
sword.
'You cannot tell what soldier will
do in war time" says recruiting
| officer. "But we men IRE as careful
as possible in our selection OF men and
II they have not plenty of pluck it is
not on account of physical weakness
nor from great lack of morals and
intellect. People come here some
times imagining that all they have to
do is to say they want to enlist, and
then they are soldiers. These people
are mistaken. We tell them that the
first requisite is recommendation
from some responsible party. If they
are Of good character and have friends
in the city they go right off and get
written recommendations or they re-
turn with friends to recommend them.
Our difficulties from this cause are
with applicants from the country who
do not know the requirements and
who, when we inform them. often
write their own recommendations
signing fictitious names. We take their
letters letting the applicants know that
we must investigate. II all is not
straight that is the last we see of those
people. Sometimes man comes with
an applicant and tells us that nothing
could BIO done with him at home, and
that it is thought that the reformative
influences OF army life are what the
incorrigible one needs. But we do not
take this class OF people at all, for
they are not likely to make good sol
diers. Young people imagine that
they can run of to the army without
their friends knowledge, and to do
this they use all subterfuges, none of
which are of avail. The recruiting
officer is very careful in this regard.
1.-The next point at issue in the ex-
animation is finding the extent Of the
applicants knowledge of English. We
only require that a person applying for
enlistment shall know enough English
to understand and obey or transmit
orders readily.
THE physical examination is the
strictest and IL a man passes that you
may be sure that he is in sound health
In each and every part OF his body.
The examination takes about fifteen
minutes. First we make him strip,
and then put him through any number
OF exercises. But before that test we
question him regarding himself There
are about fifty set questions. and we
add good many others for each indi-
vidual whom weexamine. II all these
questions, which are regarding his age,
health, physical peculiarities, ETC., are
satisfactorily answered, he is ready for
the physical examination.
1--WE often have people come here
too young. A person who wishes TO
join the infantry must not be younger
than twenty-sne years OF age nor older
than thirty-fve, and for the cavalry
the age for enlistment is between twen-
ty-one and thirty years. We next re-
gard his height. Men ranging In size
from five feet and five inches to five
feet ten inches may join the cavalry,
while to join the infantry tho only
requisite is that he be five feet and five
inches or more In height.
A recruit for cavalry may not W eigh
over 165 pounds nor less than 125.
while the requirement for infantry is
that they weigh not less than 125
pounds. We are very careful that
man should have good eye-sight and
that his hearing should not be defec-
tive, that his lungs are healthy, his
arms hands, legs and feet normal In
formation and of ordinary strength.
We hex each finger, for sometimes we
find that the applicants forefnger is
too weak for him to pull the trigger OF
gun. 1t makes no difference to us II
man is left-handed. A man may be
in good health, have good constitu-
ton and fulfill all other such require
ments, yet II he has any deformity or
repulsive feature he is rejected on that
score alone.
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