The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-01-03
RECRUITS FAIL TO PASS
Only 10 Per Cent Of Army Applicants
are Accepted

Washington, Jan. EITHER the
people of the United States are fall
ing below their own standards or the
United States Army has been very
unlucky or keeps its standard too
high. would appear to be the case
from a recent report Of Secretary OF
War j. NJ. Dickinson. He states that
less than 10 per cent of those who
applied for enlistment in the army
were able TO pass the eye OF the re-
cruiting officers
The Secretary says: In making
these enlistments the recruiting OFF,
GERS examined lO0,996 men OF whom
S7,S7S or about 81 per cent of the
whole number we're rejected as lack
ing either mental, moral, or physical
qualifications. OF this number how
ever, 12,429 or about ~ per cent were
rejected because of lack OF prior mil.
itary service which from March |,
1910, until after the end Of the fiscal
year was prescribed as a necessary
qualification for enlistment, in order
to bring about the reduction ordered
by the president In the enlisted
strength of the army TO not exceed
ing $4,000"
This poor showing, compared with
the enlistments a few years ago, Is
attributed to the new system of re-
cruiting which has been put in force
In the old days those who applied
We're enlisted at the recruiting sta.
tions, but now the stations simply ac-
cept the applicants after cursory ex-
aminations and questioning. The APP
plicant then Is sent to the recruiting
depot, where he is put through rigid
tests. How this is done is explained.
Under the new system, each re-
cruit upon arrival at the depot Is
carefully examined by army medical
officers of experience; formerly,
where recruits were enlisted at sta
tions, the recruiting officer had to re-
ly on the advice OF civilian physicians
unfamiliar with requirements of the
military service.
After enlistment the recruit is
kept at the depot under observation
for period OF not less than twenty
five days and is not assigned to an
organization until he has acquired n
good knowledge OF his duty as a sol
der by means of course of practlc-
al instruction which is given him
accompanied by daily lectures and n
certain amount of school work.
Recruits who for any cause are
found to be not qualified for the SER
| vice are discharged, one OF the impor.
| tant functions of the recruit depot
being to eliminate undesirable re-
cruits before assignment to an organ
| lzation."
For several years Secretary Dlckin'
son says, extraordinary efforts have
been made to prevent assertions, 70
which end the army has adopted q
system OF following the deserter re
lentlessly and by means which make
his apprehension and punishment
practically certain.
Last year this policy was followed
with undated vlgor and the Secra
tary says;
1T Is gratifying to be able to re
port that the number OF desertions
was 30.6 per cent less than for the
preceding year. and that the 3i6i de
sertions give percentage of SO,
for 9l1O against 4.97 for 1909.
THE relative number OF desertionI
as shown by the report OF the Adju
tant general OF the army, was lest
than in any ascal year since 1899 ant
included a decrease In the percentage
OF desertion in every branch OF th'
service compared with 1909 and
decrease In every branch Of the ser
vice for each year since 1904 excep
In the coast artillery for 1908
The hookworm disease is very pre-
valent In the RECRUITS that come from
the county on both sides Of the Allies
hany and Blue Ridge Mountains AM
In Georgia and Alabama. Nearly 3
per cent OF Southern recruits hav
been found infected. The disease c'
lists also In the Philippines an exam
nation of large number OF soldier
and natives showing that between Q
and go per cent had the disease. TIL
Board Of Health record for the Il
lands, however, shows. he says, onl
II 10 l6 per cent