Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-27
By John R. Cox


| keeping our battleships well
| manned. The humorous. the sentimental, the
pathetic, and the tragic are all depicted in the
| natural course of their duties. There is even
| occasionally touch of melodrama, with the
| principal scene laid in the recruiting station.
| The successful recruiter must be a keen
| student of human nature and to some extent
a psychologist He must be able to read char
acter readily and decide quickly regarding an
applicant fitness for the service and his STAY
ing qualities for, while the recruiting officer
IS furnished by the department with blue
book, and printed forms and regulations
plenty. after all he is expected to rely mainly
| on his judgment and discretion, and if he makes
faux pas he IS called to account for it. If, on
the other hand. he becomes too conservative
he receives formal inquiry from headquarters
as to the cause of falling off in recruits at his
station. and intimating in official phraseology
| that he had better get on his job again.
Recruiting stations that use form letters
tensivey receive many interesting replies,
some amusing and some threatening. The pol
icy of the Office. after the name of a desirable
applicant has been recommended to them is to
mail him a letter describing the advantages
open in the navy and usually booklet, illus
trated in coors and halftones, is inclosed.
A Joke on the Recruiters
ONE John Henry Blink failed to answer the
= first appeal to his patriotism and the usual
follow-up literature was sent. Finally stock
letter was mailed. mildly complaining that no
answer had been received to the previous com
munications and suggesting that the young
man was not taking advantage of his oppor
tunties but if he had decided not to consider
the matter wouldnt he kindly notify the Office!
This brought a reply. written in a feminine
hand. that John Henry Blink was not yet
year old. that the first epistle, containing the
booklet with color plates. amused John when
he was three months old: but the later letters
did not produce a thrill. and his mother would
appreciate it If her sons name was taken off
the mailing list.
Realizing that the joke was on them. the
members Of the recruiting office force Clipped
in and bought John Henry handsome gold
mounted rattle. which they sent with their
compliments.
Entertaining Lonely Mother
A YOUNG man ran away from home and
n shipped in the navy in Buffalo leaving his
mother without assistance. He neglected to
write to the old lady, and she finally fell i'll
from hard work and worry over her son. 1t
was brought to the attention of the recruiting
office, and bright natty lad was sent in uni
form to look her up. After some difficulty he
found her in two small rooms. little more than
an attic, and almost destitute
Her only relative was the scapegrace OF a son,
to whom she devoted She asked many
questions about the service. how the men were
treated. where they slept. what their duties
were And does my dear Jimmy look like you
when he is dressed up?" When she was assured
that he wore the same uniform, she was de-
| round SO she could see him from all angles.
She never dreamed that her Jimmy would look
SO swell.
The bluejacket spent two hours with her.
relating his experiences in the service, fire.
quenty bringing laugh from her with the re-