Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-05-28
Pittsburg Times

Pittsburg Times
Capt. Thomas Sharp, in command
at the United States army recruiting
RENDEZVOUS on Penn avenue, stated yes
terday that an order had Just been
received to the effect that hereafter
until further orders, all recruits for
the United States army shall have the
privilege of being discharged at the
end of the present war. This is very
important change in the regulations
governing Capt Sharp enlistments
says, as it places soldier OF
the regular army on the same
basis, with regard to time of
service, as members of the Nation
al Guard or Others who go out as
State volunteers. The term of en-
listment remains the same, three
years, but if the recruit wishes he
can, at the end of this war; obtain his
discharge by making application for
it. This has nothing to do with the
regulation by which discharges were
purchasable at times.
Under this new rule Capt. Sharp
was most emphatic in saying that the
regular army is much more advan-
tageous arm OF the service than that
found with the voluntees. Capt.
Sharp said:
The recruit now has the opportuni-
ty to leave the service at the close of
hostilities and return to his home and
occupation if he wishes. Besides
this, recruits in the regular army
have vastly better hygienic care than
their brothers in the volunteer SER
vice. 1t has been said, and the truth
Of 1t is everywhere acknowledged,
that 1.-the deadly bean carries Off far
more men than bullets" That is al
most fact, but it is also fact that
in the regular army the deadly bean"
loses many of its terrors, for there the
art of cooking it is made science.
There is no more wholesome food in
the world than the bean when well
cooked, but, imperfectly cooked, the
bean is very dangerous to life. Cook
ing is at the bottom of the health OF
body of soldiers, and, in view Of
this, the cooks of the regular army
are trained to do their work well. In
addition, every officer in the regular
army is required to know how to cook
and is personally responsible for the
cooking He keeps a constant sur
veillance OF the preparation Of the
meals, and woe to the cook who is
found growing lax and careless in his
work, for in so doing he is imperilling
the health OF the soldiers. 1t is diff
ferent in the National Guard. 1t
may sound malicious, but the fact
remains, and no malice is intended.
In the National Guard the officers
cannot know much more about cook
ing than the priyates, and they are
all at the mercy Of the cook. And
the records show that there is fully
20 per cent, more sickness in the
Guard than in the regular army. |
think it must be evident to everyone
that now, when a man may obtain his
discharge just as soon in the regular
army as in the National Guard that
the former is infinitely preferable to
the latter.
There were only two men who were
able to pass the examinations at the
rendezvous yesterday. Capt. Sharp
says that there is an astonishing FREE
quency Of cares of impaired eyesight
in men whe are otherwise physically
perfect. Many of these cases are
those of men who were formerly mill
men, and Capt. Sharp attributes the
weakened eyes to the intense heat
and glare to which mill workers are
exposed.