The Washington herald., 1907-02-10
MAKING A REGULAR
How the Awkward Squad Is
Licked Into Shape.
ALL RECRUITS ARE NOT ALIKE
Foreigners AveFse to EnIisfing ia
the Army-POOrest Recruits Come
OF Security i'm the Soldiers Life.
Importance of the Noncom.

Recruiting officers look over curious
assortment OF humanity on the Pacific
Coast. according to Army and Navy Life.
the raw Material is not Of such good quail
ity as chat which comes to the stations
east Of the Rockies.
Broken down fortune hunters who have
worn themselves out in a vain quest for
gold. sailors who have come around the
Horn from the Eastern States and Eu-
rope and have deserted their ship after
getting their passage, sporting men who
are down on their luck, are among those
who line up for the examining surgeon s
inspection.
From the Middle West comes a cleaner.
healthier lot young men who have be-
come tired Of turning the furrow and
standing behind the counter
Down South many white recruits are
from the pine lands which as Iumbermen
they helped strip o. their trees. Fisher
men from the Carolina sound country
have also enlisted In large numbers. The
few coiCred regiments get most of their
additions from the section beyond the
Potomac down 10 DiNeland
When business is dun the muster rolls
are swelled with names Of clerks, book
keepers, and young men Of the middle
class in large cities but the tramp seldom
puts ia an appearance at the recruiting
Office. Thirteen a month and board does
not tempt him.
The Hungarian. Pole. Bohemian. or Ital-
ian recruit Is q rarity. not because they
are rejected. but because they are averse
% military service. So il is that I'm the
mining and numbering districts, Of which
such places as Harrisburg and Pittsburg
are the ceuters men are picked UP chiefly
from town and city with an occasional
farmer The masses Of so-caIled for
eigners working In the coal regions have
no desire 10 serve the country in this
way.
Out OF the World.
But no matter who he is or what he
has been. the fellow who has measured
up physically and mentally in the re-
cruiung Office and signed the enlistment
papers drops out OF the world Not until
he has dofTed the blue or khaki for good
az the expiration OF service does he re-
turn 20 il. save on fuTlnugh.
Al first iJ seems curious TO the man who
has had 10 scramble for 81 living i'm the
everyday world to become "a part Of this
new lfe-to know That he viii net have
TO worry about how long his job will last
or where De viii get his next meal.
After little he acquires an odd sense
OF security. In some Way-just how he
doesn't know, and doesn't care-he is be-
ing looked after. lie has no food TO buy.
no clothes 70 get When the month is up
his pay seems Ike the schOoIbOy's spend
ing money. ana he hardly knows what 10
90 with it-at first
But the men in the big white building
az Washington don't keep him long with
out something 10 do. when he is told
in with another batch of rockies TO
make up the awkward squads he soon
learns what hc is there for. The day Of
the FIRST drill arrives. and out on the pa
rade ground shuttle Jim Brown and BM
Smith with the rest. OCCASIONALLY keeping
Ia step, balancing guns on shoulders as
if they were hayforks.
Halt, Left faCe"'
Private Brown finally manages 10 face
the drill sergeant, after nrst turning his
back on hiIa.
Drilling a Rookie"
Number Three. where d'you think
ware? Ploughin' or steerin a canal boat2
You're q husky sort Of q soldier. YOU are.
Here. put that left hand down where il
belongs. Suraighten them legs Hit yer
heels together. And look at that belt,
Corporal pull 10 ga "a couple o. holes. Too
tight? Keep that piece steady so.
Now then, f0urs right Huh, Here.
Three, git in step. TN be tlowed il We
don't walk like COW ia the mud. Keep
in lire there
The half hour becomes the hour before
At Ease gives them "A chance To mop
their forebeads. but even now the keen
eye of the officer is on them.
Don't come out here agin with them
gloves UnbuttOned. You Four there. what's
the matter with yer shOes2 Didn't We
ever see any blaCkin'2 Number Two. that
gun looks Ike you'd LETT IL out all night
in the rain. Put a rag and a good lot Of
elbow grease on it before ye fan I'm again
with it or III report ye."
Even week or SO Of this rough-and-
ready training makes an astonishing
change. The new addition to the ranks
learns what II means to Obey-perhaps
for the first time in his experience.
Not the soft snap ne thought it-this
sort Of life, but he's in for il, and after
hearing the jeers Of the old-timers al his
- NsealllN71 AAE ~tti0 ~ A4tltllllA ana Ee--
down To hard work-not because he wants
TO- but because it is the easiest way 10
escape criticism and ridicule
Graduating at last from the awkward
squad. he becomes one Of the pieces Of
the human war machine for which he
has been ftted-the troop, the company.
or the battery-but he is constantly be
ing scruunlzed. even as the m0deler
watches the changing of the shapeless
lump Of clay into the familiar object He
is still in the mold.ng process, and
whether on post, on dress parade, or as
the captains orderly there is some one to
note the slightest error In dress or equip
ment and to pick him up on It.
Importance of Noncoms
Here a word should be put in for the
sergeant. Yes. its the promoted Null
vaneys who do the rough and hard work
in sOldier-making. They are the medium
between rank and file, and do what posi-
ton win not permit the captain or the
lieutenant 10 do.
They are the executives. While in touch
with the men in the ranks. though the
sergeant is their comrade, his chevrons
command their obedience.
The youngster fresh from the Point soon
learns 10 appreciate the Importance OF
the nOncoms as his senior officers did
before him. In the formation of the new
army'-the army as il has existed since
1SSS-the services of veterans who first
shouldered rifle and carbine under the old
regime have been Invaluable fact 10
which President Roosevelt himself has
testified.
The government is a thorough believer
in the axiom that cleanliness is next TO
goodness. The new man is given to uH-
derstand that Uncle Sam will pay for
the creases in his trousers and tho black