Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-10-26
THE SOLDIER IN WAR,

THE SOLDIER IN Wbh'
At time when there Is much talk Of
enlarglng the standing army Of the
United States a letter OF a correspond
ent Of the New York Evening Post on
the life OF the United states soldier Is or
much interest. From his obseryationS
II appears as n II would be more neces-
sary to improve the conditions Of the
army We have, than to increase the
number. And the writer In the Post
may be considered authority on that
subject, As a war correspondent he has
seen army life both al home and In
Cuba and the Philippines, and he is en-
titled to an impartial hearing
The correspondent in the first place
calls attention to the fact that the SOL
dlers are not provided with sufficient
pack animals. In support Of this he
quotes a letter from a war correspond
ent in China, in which the experiences
Of Uncle Sans boys are graphically
depicted;
AS the sun rose higher and the fierce
rays beat down on the men, the cruel
blanket rolls weighed tons ana inc
sweat rolled down and soaked the maxi
suits and drippod on the burning earth'
Nothing seemed 20 matter, ana lhe men
cursed heaven and earth, and the ON
GERS and the nation that sent them.
soon the weakest reached his limit ana
staggered out on the sand A Red Cross
man rode back and saw that the am
bulance picked him up. Then twos ana
threes fell out, and a halt had 10 De
called The men muttered and swore
some were too far gone TO swear they
lay like overdriYen animals, gasping LOT
breath and suffOcating in that burning
air. Then the order came to throw away
what could not be carried. Inc great
woonen blankets went nrsL some
logged spirits, thinking OF the cola
nights, still chung desperately 10 thelr
loads Others threw everything away
but the canteen and ammunition. ana
Z those who have carried that and a gun
| under an eastern sun know that heaven
made mules and ponies 90 carry what a
man needs and his strength VIII not
hear But the Chinese plains are thou-
sands az miles from Washington Ihe
men will die under their loads, OF sleep
cold and shelterless at night, while the
% Chinese coolies who picked up the pIhn
kets that lay dotted on our tran WIN
Sleep as warm and comfortable as the
authorities IN Washington, VINO 40 ho'
care Uncle Sam won't puy PACK am
o. mails 10 bear the loads that Kill the men,
o The men must be pack animals ano
= fighting men I'm one. The result is tha'
they are neither. They throw away theii
?, packs and become sunstruck, drlvelllh4
/. iunatlcs before the time comes TO de-
ploy and face the enemy
r And this he says, is no new story
9 Regiments in Cuba and the Philippines
are familiar with It. The remembrance
e Of long days Of dull monotony in eamI
e win pass away, but few OF the thou
n sands who have experienced II VIII eve
il forget that marching on and on unde
h a sun that seems to burn the flesh an'
"a grill the bones. The eyes are burninl
10 GOALS. the brain reels. but the man mus
,e 20 on until he drops, because America
It expects her soldiers TO combine III
"a functions OF lighting men and pack AMI
At mails.
.y The writer next, calls attention 70 IN
,e short-time enlistments for a seriou
D. campaign. Under this system 200 man
join the army merely FOR "the fun O
~ IL II attracts too many Of q bad mora
n character. This accounts for the I'm
p usual number OF punishments by court
x. martial and the complaints Of drunken
re ness. Tie believes that small army
he sufficient Tor our purposes but that
m. should be Of the very best material an
re properly equipped.
.ul Another point made by the writer j
as that there are today a number Of yetel
he ans az thc civil War who after a lon
,ly and faithful service have not ootaine
m. the promotion TO which such servi'
.at should enuue them They should
ale advanced ne thlnksand retired on a su
ire acisnt salary This would serve as
re- fitting recognition Of their services. an
~ 70 would clear the way on the high'
alt rounds Of the ladder Tor a number
.ed youueer men ~ho also have claims upC
the nation.
Il must be admitted that these poin
are wen taken The efficiency OF
army Is more important than NUMBER
OF 1t would be well for the representative
the 10 The American people 10 recognize IN
zee fact when the army question com
ue. up flr consideration Mihtuis
,ar- in this country cannot be mai
tanned az the cheap figures prevailing
rer Europe. Every American soldier ey
rice II poorly equipped, costs many tim
.ad- that OF a European warrior. An Anne
the lean army approXlmaung in proporu
niles 10 population, the French or Germ
IS 70 armies. would be an iutolerable nnanc
nted burden TO the country But sma
,s Of well equipped, and well paid army W
also be sufficient for oil purposes in times