The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-10-17
MARRIED Man IN WAR.
FEAR That ~ WAY Sc TOO CARE.
FUL o. HIMSELF ~ DANGER.
This idea Prevails in the Recruiting
Stations. But It ia NGt >ub-thntiatsd
By Officers observation-disclosures wives
in the Way At Manila

AAEE-eL 4eL are only enlisted IN
the regular army Of the Ucired States
by consent Of the Colonel commanding
the regiment n which they apply 20
serve, or by special permission Of the
War Department This requirement
Is cousPIcuousIy posted II the recruit
ing stations, AMI l. generally known
% applicants for enlistment before
they appear for examination Not
wItlstlliIug all II the recruiting
station on Third avenue. near Ninth
street, OF which MAJOR X, -I5Cey Is In
charge, az least one b Irdrsd men are
turned away every week because they
acknowledge that they are married.
Deception l. 40 often practisad that it
IL guarded against Is carefully IA it
can be; but the precautions are uscas-
sarIly Ineffective, and it often hap
pens that i married man succeeds IN
euLstInZ. Whether OF not he Joins
his regiment before his qualification
Is discovered II 4 mere matter Of
chance.
Men desiring 20 enlist II the army
OF the United States for the term Of
three years are required % declare
they are not svoru-that Il have
neither wife nor child.
Il IL IS discovered that 2 recruit has
falsely declared himself z.lzIe. lie il
put under arrest technically. and the
de partlen5 l. informed. Action at
Washington Is prompt and always the
same, II Il directed that the man be
discharged from the service without
honor. This Is not q 'dislororabIa
discharge, but 1t prevents 4 man
from again sulistiCg IN any branch Of
the service a. any time AMI under
any circumstances. The recruiting
otI.er Is held responsible for the ez-
peuse incurred by the Government in
the mans case. II it should happen
that the recruit safely reaches san
Francisco on his way 20 Manila, he y
returned Immediately 10 the recruiting
station and all expenditure on his
account IS charged Up against she
officer who accepted him. II l. not
often, however, that he l. detected
when so fur on his way 70 his rsgi-
uelt
The other day found myself with
Ii enlisted married mau on hands
said Major Whitney. He was sen.
here from the Office az Nswlrk-ar-
rived u the morning. and seemed i5
be q promising recruit. In the after
noon his wife and uOther-Il-lLw turned
mp With IN objection or two. and
called the fellow III. bis excuse was
that he didn't know a man had 10 be
single, and when I asked him vLv he
wanted 10 join the army, be sail he
was sick and tired # his uotLsr-iu-
law. who Jera5ei him hall the time.
a1i wanted to get any place away from
Ler-le didn't care much where
informed the department. and they
ordered his discharge without honor
I few days Inter
Married applicants always say. ar-
corilng 10 the Sergeant, that -lers ia
ID one dependents On them: l- Is their
ultaling argument when confronted
with tue requirement that shuts them
cut. Last week one zrcL was fol-
lowed TO q recruiting Office bya woman
With d baby In her arms. who pleaded
that her husband should not 1e -u-
listed. because he was her sole sup
port One of the clerks said be
thought at the time that the woman
would have hard time u is when the
man got her home and alone The
army seems 10 De the refuge. not only
of men who have no means Of wiluin-
their daily bread, but those who have
tired gt their wives or chill jrel Some
times they admit this freely. often
they say they have gr5 their children
IN good care. and are drawn -0 the
service only because they ara tired oc
Fan