The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-12
bread upon the waters: For thou shalt
! find it after many days"
Rejected Volunteers.

number of volunteers at Mount Gret-
ma has naturally given rise in their
minds to disappointment If not chagrin.
They believe themselves equal t. tiose
who were accepted, and they question
the policy which annihilates their pat
rotc impulse, and leaves blank and
visionary career i'm which they had
hoped to achieve glory and rcnown.
To sensitive natures ii is almost pro-
vucative of tears. TO have lived and
tolcd for the honor of the regiment
in times of peace, only to be rejected
" then the hour of danger arrives Is
not one of the fascinating influences
of the volunteer movement. A little
reflection will, on the other hand, as
suage the feeling of resentment which
some rejected volunteers may harbor.
The surgeons who examined their fit
ness for active duty were solely ami
mated by n professional desire to con-
form to the regulations laid down for
their guidance. 1t is difficult and not
altogether an cnviable task. The con-
stitutional disabilities for which some
men We're rejected seem trivial if not
altogether ludiCrous. A man may I'm
his own estimation and in that of his
friends appear the picture of health
ana physical virility while the stetho-
scope. judging and Distinguishing the
sounds i'm the human chest, reveals
physiological disabilities which tits pru
dent not to strain at any point. If
surgeon is not allowed to act on his
initiative and on his own judgment in
determining who and who is not quail
| fed for an arduous campaign, there
is no other criterion to which those
who are responsible for the health and
| vigOr of the army can or may appeal
! The most robuest among us is after
all but a delicate and complicated or
| ganism liable to irreparable damage if
| placed in nan uncougenial environ
! ment
According to present indications the
| volunteer and regular forces will be
| Immediately transported to Cuba or the
| Philippines just as soon as the eXig-
! encies of the military situation permit
! The rainy season in cuba is now about
|
! fertile and malaral disorders peculiar
to the tropics rage most violently. Ha-
| vana harbor is, it has been ascertained
| with scientific eXactness, the forcing
| tank in which the germs of yellow
! fever are propogated, to be dissent
mated afterwards, should favorable
| conditions arise, along the gulf coast,
/ al
! events it is impossible to acclimatize
men taken from temperate zone to
tropical climate in a few weeks or
months under the extremely unfavor-
! able conditions of camp life. No risks
must be taken. a man with a perfectly
robust constitution Is more likely, all
! things considered, to resist the in
/ sidious diseases and the enervating in
nuences peculiar to equatorial life than
one who does not possess one. though,
| Of course, it is possible and probable
that the latter may otherwise be equal
i'm his own indigenous sphere to all
the vicissitudes of his existence. Men
who are rejected naturally feel disap-
! pointmcnt, but there is really nothing
to grumble at and perhaps something
/ to rejoice over.
An army of occupation must neces-
| sarily contend with difficulties amid
! unravorable surroundings, and, per-
/ hare, the covert il not open hostility
! Of the natives. Especially is this true
in country devastated by a long and
| sanguinary racial and intestine revo-
| luton where animosities are sharp
| and suspicion is rampant. In such an
army under the Climatical conditions
! we have enumerated there will be many
! sick and invalided when all is done
| that can possibly be done to mitigate
| or avoid disease The serViceable
guardsman must be able-bOdied as well
! as patriotic, His physique and efh-
! cheney go together. An invalided SOL
! dier is an incubus on the medical and
! cummissariat equipment Of the army.
The fewer sick soldiers, volunteers and
! regulars, there are in camp the health
! Ter the moral and physical tone of the
men will be. No large aggregation of
| human beings can be brought together
| without sickness prevailing in a greater
| or less degree But sickness arising
| from constitutional or preventible
| causes must necessarily detract from
! that unmitigated care and attention
which are due to the wounded. The
! desire of the War department is to
| select men not merely capable of bear
| ing arms in the field against the enemy,
! but also capable of sustaining the in
| ertia and monotony of camp life and
not easily debilitated or prostrated by
unfavOrable hygenic surroundings
which are inevitable in actual war
| fare.
| 1t was new cXDericnce for the Thir-