Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-05-11
SWEARING IN accav,rs.
How Il 10 Done Here and How In GEE.
many.

many.
THE transformations manner in
which our national affairs ire admin.
istered Is we'll illustrated by the
striking contrast between the cere-
mony Of swearing in recruits in our
army and the same ceremony in Ger.
many" remarked an officer who 10
stationed ut Fort Wayne to Detroit
Free Press reporter. Here the res
cruit after expressing his desire 10
serve Uncle Sam Is ushered into the
room, bare, dingy, rented apart
ment, which serves as office for the
enlisting officer OF the army, and then
and there Is called upon to repeat,
after the said officer, the following
oath, Its solemn import marked by
the cursory upward tendency of the
irrespective right hand: L do sol-
EMMY swear that I will bear true
faith and allegiance to the United
States OF America and that will
serve them honestly and faithfully
against all their enemies whomso.
ever; and that I will obey the
orders Of the President Of the United
States, and the orders Of the officers
appointed over me, according to the
rules and articles OF war. So help
me God Signature to this oath
makes him, without more ado, full
Aedged soldier.
How different IL the following
ceremony used in binding Germany'S (
soldiers to their Kaisers. The young
conscript IL conducted to the church
OF the parish in which he enlists,
where he IL first addressed by the
pastor on the sacred 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 alter. the embryo soldier 10
required to place his left hand on
these flags. and, raising his right. to
repeat the following: I swear before
God, who is oil powerful aud who
knows all, that will serve Loyalty
and faithfully my very gracious
sovereign under all circumstances.
On land and sen. in peace and In war,
and In oil places. Fswear to seek only
his good and to do everything to pre-.
vent injury to him. I swear to oh.
serve strictly the articles OF war which
havo just been read TO me. swear
to obey all orders and to conduct my.
self rs evcry courageous, honeso
soldier ought to do. delighting In full.
filling the duties that honor imposes
upon me. As surely as God will aid
me in gaining eternity through Jesus
Christ, amen
rs II not n serious question
whether our simplicity in the nd.
ministration OF n sacred oath does
not defeat its very purpose? We. in
this free born American Republic,
IRE justly proud Of our simple, unos.
tentatious ways, marked by want OF
useless ceremony, and we, by our
example. daily administer rebuke to
tho old world for the vanity Of ito
ways, but let us not carry the feel.
ing too tar. Human nature here, 40
elsewhere. Is impressionable. and 10
an obligation Is rendered moro bind.
ing by impressiveness we should not
hesitate to employ its necessary ac-
compartments even to the fuss and
feathers employed by our elders In
the slsterhood OF nations.
The average American, IMMERSED
in patriotic lore. woefully Ignorant
OF patriotic symbols, 10 constantly
accused OF want OF devotion to HE
country. Of too great individualism,
too little nationalism. Lett us hope
that this IL not So that our patriot
ism but lies dormant, awaiting tho
occasion which will call It into play
and make Its existent strength enl-
phatlcally evident to tho world.
I'm the meantime. let the soldier
swear by his country's beautiful
emblem; Furthermore, let tho Stars.
and Stripes be displayed moro often
and with more reverence before the
people ut large. Nothing will con-.
tribute further to arouse our hetro..
geneous population, our too large
disorderly element. the product Of
the sordid, selfish individualism, ia
realization OF other more worthy
interests; OF q duty paramount to all
others, yet 80 generally lost sight Of,
to q country that exists. to u fisa
that waves. on this side Of the
ocean,"