Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1898-10-05

SwearS that he will obey the com.
mands of all officers placed above him
than he falls into the hands CT cor.
, poral. This soldier, with the two clean
white chevrons on his sleeves, looks
him over, guides him to a bathing
place and begins to lick Kim into shape
lie begins by teaching him how &c
stand, how to turn around. where &c
keep his eyes and all the small details
Of the soldier business. lie i1presses
en- him the necessity of quick doing
and cautions that tho officers are there
20 think. Then the recruit; is shufIlec
on to n sergeant, who places Kim in
set Of fours and teaches Kim how tc
lind his place and what TO do when he .
finds it. He finally falls int o the hands
Of the first sergeant in company drill
He may get an occasional sight of his
captain, but he learns to know and EN-.
ulate his sergeant.
The "noncom." is the teacher. His
unlimited ability to work and his un-
dying patience straigbten up round
shoulders. liven up shutting steps ant
make a sturdy soldier of the raw re.
cruit. He works always and forever
and executes the orders of his supe.
riors quickly and accurately. Fe
serves as model to be copied after BY
the private-he is the backbone of the
army. ... ...
Glory seldom comes to the ..non.
CON-" A long time ago certain Sergt
Jasper won a permanent place in his.
tory, and more recently Sergt. Fam.
iiton Fish died bravely ct the front
The ''noncom." works uEnoticed. like
the line player in the football team
because he doesn't run with the ball
but he is the backbone that holds The
ribs together. When the battle is hot
and sweat mingies with blood on the
sCdden field, when bullets whizz ant
shells scream, when comrades sink tc
the ground and turn on their faces. tho
officer lifts his sword on high and stcr:
forward into glory. The "rorcc'~.'
speaks the quiet STEADY. Boy! G3t
walks into the jaws of death. shooting
his way into the corridors CT CD. wien
The captain knows he will Ec. tanousi i.
Re survives-famous if he dies. Tic
sergeant or the corporal Knows his
wife and children will weep ever theil
loss. his comrades that survive him will
bury him in soldiers grave wrapped
in his blanket. He Is too numercu.
for the historian to mentions; he va.
simply doing his duty. Yet if the vic.
tory is won it is because he is In his
Place and doing this same duty. ..,
Under the new tactics in use by the
United States army companies nc
longer fight with men shoulder lie
shoulder under the. direct conc~art
Of the captain. Much stress is laid OF
the skirnish drill. in which sets O.
tours under corPorals and squads un.
der sergeants fight in open order
firing at will after the captain has or.
dcred commence firing" The cor
poral is responsible for his set O:
fours and the sergeant for his squad
The first sergeant is in a manner re.
sponsible for the entire company ant
is ready to assume command when his
officers are shot down. The new Gr.
rangement gives opportunity to The
'noncom." to show himself. 1t remains
to be seen whether or not he will break
into fame. ~. ...a.
1t is not in battle, however, that the
| noncOmmissioned officer earns the
title of backbone" for in the fght the
| sweating private is a necessary per-
son. Inthe camp the white-chcvronet
soldier makes his presence known anG
, felt. The first sergeant, gruff, stern
severe, Lind, man CT all work and al.
intelligence, father Of his company
and mother. too, in camp. is in charge
OF his men. He looks after the com.
pany quarters, tents, bedding, cloth.
ing. knows all about the kitchen anG
sees 70 the equipments. lie calls the
roll, details the guard, knows the abil.
J ity and willingness Of every soldier OF
lis command and is the disciplinariar
and mouthpiece of his company. lie
! is the go-between for privates and off.
GERS, adjusts quarrels and disseminates
advice. The company books. though
not intricate, are tedious, and are kept
by him, and be reports the dead tc
his captain. He seems to be in every
place at the same time. He Is the model