Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-11-12
RECRUITS FOR THE ARMY
a VISIT TO THE RECRUITING OFFICE
IN NEW YORK.

enlistment every week ~ NV
States Recruiting office on MINI
street. The universal impression
seems to he that il man is good lor
nothing in any other walk of lie he
will do for soldier. This is wrong
for in no service in the world is there
n more rigid physical examination
than there is for the United States
army Added to this, n young man
must prove to the satisfaction OF the
recruiting officer that he is OF goou
moral character. The reason for such
precautions is that the applicants are
more numerous than the existing va
cancies in the ranks, and the military
authorities can afford to he ultra'fas-
tidious in the selection of Uncle Sam 8
boys in blue.
A visitor recently spent morning
Ia the office and watched the stream
of men "a they filed in and out-most-
ly out-for the corporal in charge
knows his business and transacts 1t
with judgment and despatch, sizing up
IA man in n moment.
II was $50 o'clock when Il heavy,
numbering, uncertain footstep was
heard on the stairs, and young man
fairly well dressed lurched into the
room. Without waiting for him to
speak the old corporal said
600 home and sleep it OLIVE want
no iags here, young fellow"
Without word the man turned and
stumbled downstairs again.
"Why did l turn him away?' asked
the corporal. "Would you employ n
man in civil life who applied for q
situation when he was drunk? It's
the same thing here. We have drunk
ards in the army, but they were sober
when they enlisted"
"But suppose he comes in tomorrow
sober, would that make any differ
ence?"
"Not the slightest. To give you
some idea of the choice we have, from
January to August of this year there
were 4lS0 applicants, or about 523
men every month. OF these, 142 only
were accepted, the rest having failed
in the physical examination or in
quiries made into their character prov
ing unsatisfactory"
"What is the nature of the physical
examinations"
THAT is extremely severe and
searching. When we think man is
fit for the service we take him in the
back room and have him strip. The
recruiting officer them examines him.
His eyesight is tested, his teeth ex-
amined and careful inspection made
of his whole body to see that there
are no physical defects such as cross
or hammer toes. II he passes this
inspection he is allowed to remain in
the Office until the regular medical
examining officer arrives, when the
applicant undergoes second and still
more searching inspection. If all is
satisfactory the recruit is sent away
with the next batch of recruits that
starts for the West. On arrival at his
regiment he may even the be reject
cd on account Of some defect which
may have been overlooked here. But
this seldom or never happens"
"As rule, are not the men who
enlist desperate men who, having
tried every other means of gaining a
livelihood, have no alternative, and
enlist in despair for something to
eat?"
by no means. OF course we have
some Of that class, but as q rule the
young fellows who join do 80 because
they want to see something more of
their own country than they would
otherwise have a chance Of doing, and
who are willing enough to give three
years of their lives to that end. Very
many of these young men re-enlist for
a second term, and generally they
make good soldiers. A few years OF
soldering is a COOL thing for a young
man."
"Do you have many cases Of men
deserving after they have been sworn
in?"
I'm the three years that have been
in charge here l have only had one
such case, and / didn't bother after
him further than to send description
of him to the police, and they would
not be likely TO trouble themselves. as
the reward for giving up a deserter
has been reduced from $50 TO $40.
and that is not much of temptation.
or course, men desert from their reg
iments from various causes, but we
have nothing to do with that here.
But, as / have already said, the se.
lection Of men is SO carefully made
that we know pretty nearly all about
a mans antecedents. Three men are
going to San Francisco today, and We
have two men awaiting a decision
from the adiutant general as tn xbs,b