Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-06-14

course, is constantly In need of men. be-
cause the soldiers time expires. and some
times they desert"
Has it been found a good thing to re-
duce the term of service from five to three
years."
II do not really see that it has made
very much difference"
How about your re-enlistments: Most
of the soldiers on duty here appear quite
young. There do not seem to be any
old soldiers about the place"
The old soldiers rather went out dur
ing the Spanish war. The army was in
creased then, and you do not see as many
of them az you used to. This regiment
has been back from the Philippines for a
couple of months. 1t filled up very well
when it came back. There are a good
many old soldiers among them. / do not
know why it is, but you will find in one
company or one regiment many more than
IN another"
Young and Old Soldiers.
is not the young soldier rather more
desirable than the old soldier. if he is GO
ing to stick to it"
After he has learned his business, as
you say. But it takes some time after IA
man comes In before he gets to be a thor
oughly reliable man who knows his bust
ness well, and the officers know that he
can be depended upon. There Is quite a
SOVA u'aI US lehILeQ dDOul SOIuIcIIu6.
IF it takes three years to make a SOL
der and thea you discharge hints the
system a good one?"
II think the war department looks upon
1t in this way. If a man serves three years
and goes out under thirty years of age,
for a long time after he remains effecient-
~ trained. and in case of an emergency
his services are at the disposal OF the coun-
try. If trouble comes he is among the
first to respond and rally to the flag
do you ever get any recruits from tho
national guard?"
Il should say very few. Before a man
goes to the national guard he is as IA rule
settled in life. He Is attached to some
place and has something to think Of be-
sides soldering. Naturally there would
not be many OF them
AS a Profession.
ID you look upon the army as a good
profession for a young man.
That Is one OF the Things that is very
difficult to tell. If a man has not a chance
to get rich in a short time, and If he does
not see a comfortable salary ahead of him,
with a life job: if there is nothing for him
to do but farm or factory work or other
occupation for which he has not much
taste and which offer lin but slight in
ducements. / think he would do we'll to
join the army.
He learns a great deal in it, and it gives
him IL chance to see the world. Then
there is the advantage of the discipline he
gets. The life may be sometimes monot-
onous. but 1T Is not hard, and other kinds
of business. as we'll as being hard, are
also monotonous. He is better fed than
he would be If engaged in driving a pillow
on a farm. He wears good clothes and
he is well set up. He gets Il good knowl-
edge of the world. and his mind is we'll
trained and rendered more acute. When
leaving he is liable to be a good citizen,
and if he cares to save his money he will
have enough to give him a start at some
thing when returning to civil life. 1t does
not debar him afterward from aking up
a position as clerk in a store or any other
work"
rs the private soldiers life a busy one?'
Yes. il is. The hours are somewhat
long. but he has no hard work. He must
always be where he should be at the pro-
per time"
Does a man to go in the army neces-
sarily require to be strong?'
Yes. the physical examination is quite
severe. But he does not have to be an
athlete. He must be of a certain height
and weight and we'll proportional, and
must be in good health. with good hear
ing and sight"
IF a young man enlists in the army and
wants to stay in it. you will keep on en-
listing him until lie reaches a certain
age?"
Yes. as long as he is able to do his
duty. After he serves thirty years he can
retire. A private is entitled to a pension
If he is injured in the service. A man who
serves thirty years is entitled to three
quarters of his pay or he can stay longer
If he wishes to and is tit"