Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-08
SWEARING IN RECRUITs-
How simply lt Is Done Here and How
 Imprcssively In Germany.


 Impressively In Germany.
 ''Tho ounostentatious manner in which our national affairs arc administrated Is we'll illustrated by tho striking con- trast between the ceremony of swearing in recruits in our army and the same ceremony in Germany, remarked an officer who is stationed at Fort Wayne. ''Here the recruit, after expressing his desire to serve Uncle Sam, is ushered into the room, bare, dingy, rented apartment, which serves as office for tho enlisting officer of the army, and then and thero is called upon to repeat after the said officer the following oath, its solemn import marked by the cur sorry upward tendency of the irrespeo- tive right hand: I do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and alle- glance to tho United States of America, and that will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoover. and that l will obey tho orders of the president of the United States and tho orders of the officers ap- pointed over me. according to the rules and articles of war. So help me God. Signature to this oath makes him, with out moro ado. a full fiedged soldier.
 How different is tho following care- mony Hsed in binding Germany's sol diers to their kaiser: The young con- script is conducted to the church of the parish in which he enlists, where he is first addressed by the pastor on the sa- cred character and great import of the oath he is about to take; then, the flag of his country and that of his battalion being placed on the altar, the embryo soldier is required to place his left hand on these flags, and raising his right to repeat the following oath: I swear be- fore God. who is all powerful, and who knows all, that I will serve Loyalty and faithfully my very gracious sovereign under all circumstances On land and sea, in peace and in war, and in all places swear to seek only his good and to do everything to prevent injury to him. swear to observe strictly the articles of war which have just been read to me. swear to obey all orders and to conduct myself as every courageous, honest sol dier ought to do, delighting in fulfilling the duties that honor imposes upon me. As surely as God will aid mo in gaining eternity through Jesus Christ Amenr
 ''Is it not serious question whether our simplicity in the administration of Q sacred oath does not defeat its very purpose? Wa in this free born American republic are justly proud of our sim pie, unoStentatious ways, marked by want of useless ceremony, and we, by our example. daily administer rebuke to the old world of the vanity of its hnf lnt thiS fnolinry too far. Human naturo hero, as else where, is impressionable. and if an ob- ligation is rendered moro binding by impressivenoss wo should not hesitate to employ its necessary accompaniments even to tho fuss and feathers employed by our elders in the sisterhood of na- tions.
 Tho average American, unverSed in patriotic lore, woefnlly ignorant of pa tr iotic symbols, is constantly accused of want of devotion to his country, of too great individualism. too little national ism. Let us hope that this is not so; that our patriotism but lies dormant, awaiting tho occasion which will call it into play and make its existent strength omphatically evident to tho world
 In tho meantime let tho soldier swear by his country's beautiful en- blcm. Furthermore, let the stars and stripes be displayed moro often and with moro rovercrco before the people at large Nothing will contribute further to arouse our heterogeneous population, our too large disordcrly element. tho product of sordid. selfish individualism, to realization of other moro worthy i'm terestS; of duty paramount to all oth- CTS, yet so generally lost sight of, to country that exists. to q flag that waves, on this sile of the ocean. "-Detroit Er"a Press.