The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-12-18
ATTRACTING RECRUITS
Returned Philippine Soldiers Not
Pleased With Posters.

nently placed blllb0ards all ever some
towns with their 2Ohued pictures Of
the wildly alluring army life in the
Philippines, have aroused a diversity |
of comment among local Spanish War
veterans, says the North Adams Her
aid BY some it is felt that the comic
opera picturesqueness of the beauti- !
fully tinted Autographs will serve as
snare and a demsion to the mwary
and innocent youth who enter the
army because of a fascination for its
story book romance. To others, the
artistic productions of master de-
signer's skill are simply legitimate
means of drawing the brighter side Of
army life in deservedly brilliant tones.
The new posters are the beginning
of a campaign OF advertising which
the government intends TO follow up
in order.to FIN the vacancies that are
becoming too numerous i'm army
ranks. 1t le the belief Of government
authorities that the army offers many
advantages which young men who are
not holding the most desirable stua
tons can well afford to reflect upon.
But at the same time the army au-
thorities do not feel it necessary to
force upon the attention of the halt
ing recruit the fact that there is an
other side to the purpletinted sunset
and the lolling leisure Of the sweetly
smiling soldiers, who are loafng be-
meath the shade of a set of property
palm trees that would make a Floro
dora stage setting look commonplace
and with q medley Of attractions at
hand compared with which a New
York roof garden would appear like
a Sunday school room during vacation
time.
The scene that is depicted on the
big posters represents a group of gaily
uniformed officers and privates care
lessly strolling about the vicinity OF
a romantic encampmenI on a sun
kissed isle-fanned by zephyrs and
other varieties Of scented breezes.
Beneath a shetering palm several Of
the men are idle around the table
| Were It not for the fact that great
blazing caption in red letters more
than "a foo. nigh heads the gorgeously
/ Illuminated bin with the words uni
| ted States Army" there is a strong
probability that The unsuspecting pass
erby would Immediately lake The pos
. ter to be am advertisement of/the LAT
est musical comedy or spectacular ex-
trayaganza
One North Adams veteran. who has
served in the Philippines and who is
a thorough going Saxon in his love Of
law and order and the joys OF home
life says that the new posters are a
snare and a delusion and that the men
who arrive az the goal OF their ambit
ion, will soon find that the Philippines
do not afford one half as much comic
opera as genuine, out and out melo
drama In fact he is in a position
TO state personal experiences in nearly
every skirmish during the insurrec
tion that gunplay was not the leasr
important feature of the Philippine
military drama. Now that the scrap
ping is over however he says tha
other phases OF life in the Far Eas
might well be included on the biz
sheets. There is no display OF tn,
fever posts or Of the mosqpito-infeste,
sections Of the island iunees; nor o
the long dreary months OF enforced
exile from the cheering confines o
Gods own country"
Another veteran who served in tn
islands expressed an opinion in re
gard to the ideality or that life as
is featured on the posters, that woul
=, not bear repeating in good, old fash
toned English. However. he think
that the posters will probably serv
their purpose Of bringing men into IN
army and he believes that after III
recruits have been ferried across I
the land OF their day dreams the
will still have the consolation OF kno'
ing that there is plenty Of time {
repent az leisure, during the three yea
term of enlistment.
However. to Offset these uniayorabl
comments on army life in the islam
j. possessions, one we'll known yetera
J. was found to be possessed Of NOR
e poetical nature and is not nearly s
II cynical as his brother soldier II
J. believes that as good opportunities fC
n amusement exist in the Philippines a
a IN Springfield, and he says he woul
y be fully contented there. He fee
d that the new posters will bring youn
II men 10 q realization Of the many AZ
yantages Of army life. and according
ly that the number OF recruits will I
e greatly increased.
a =H