The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-08-10
RECRUITS WHO KICK.
They Soon Learn That .Bueking''
Doesn't Pay,
AND LIVE TO REGRET IT.

That recent incident down in the
Tampa camp in which young private
Of the District Guard, ordered, along
with one Of his companions, to do bit
of log carrying for misconduct, declined
the issue and resorted TO "bueking'i-
a foolish recourse FOR any man wearing
a nniform--ahd thereby plunged him
self into eourt-martial mess. ought to
possess instructive features for new men
In both Of the services on land and sea-
The young. man who couldn't see into
the log packing business, and chucked
it TO the ground with the declaration
that he "hRdn't taken on for that sort
Of thing" will learn. 1t may require
some considerable effort and hardship
on his part, but he will learn. The sol
dier or sailor who doesn't apprehend
the entire meaning of the word obedi-
ence when ne first jumps into his uni
form is by no means hopeless case
He generally turns out trig and right
minded after he has done a trick or two
in guardhouse or brig.
There are ways ia both the army and
navy to bring buekers TO their senses,
and the msjority Of buckers eventually
achieve sense enough TO appreciate
what hard proposition they are up
against in endeavoring TO bring the
trainers of regulations to an understand
ing of their incapacity, and they SUBJ
side into good soldiers. A few buckers,
however, stick it out to the end. There
was such a bucker soldering with an
artillery battery stationed at Aleatraz
Island, Cal, a few years ago. This
man, however, differed from the ordin-
ary run Of buckers, who buck not on
principle, but because they were born
that way. He was accused of neglect
of duty on post, and the general court
martial sentenced him to three months
in the Alcatraz guardhouse. Guard
house prisoners are turned out at fatigue
call every morning to work around the
post. This prisoner was turned out on
the morning following the receipt of
his sentence. along with half dozen
other minor prisoners. When he was
counted off to walk in the van of a sen
try, he turned to the provost sergeant,
and said he:
II don't work"
"Hey?" inquired the provost ser
geant.
81 don't work. repeated the pris-
oner.
"0h, 1 guess yes" said the provost
sergeant. ''Sentry, take this man out
behind the officers line to dump the
swiIl cans"
The prisoner gently slipped down and
stretched himself at full length on the
pebbly walk in front of the guardhouse.
"Not this morning." said he. "Nor
any other morning. Nor any other
evening No work. This mans army
is just entering upon huge and
determined effort TO get along without
my prisoners fatigue service. / hope
it'll succeed. But-no work. You hear
that, don't you? hope make il clear.
No work for me, now or hereafter, for
the pushing along of this post or Of the
United States army"
Then the prisoner yawned, placed bis
arms under his head, and took it easy.
The provost sergeant looked at the
man with his eyes sticking out.
"Look a-here, my man." said he to
the prisoner, who was chewing blades
of grass that he idly pinehed from the
lawn along the walk, "that's heavy
talk. Don't expect to make it stick, do
you?p
"wateh me,p said the bucker, COM
PLEASANTLY.
The officer of the day was called.
"Get up out of that" said the officer
of the day to the working prisoner.
I'm tired" said the bucker, and
this provost man wants me to work.
Not muchi No work"