The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1911-11-02
FOOT TEST IS RIGID
Imprint Of Hollow Of Foot Throws
Applicant Out.
Nearly ons.rhIrd Of Applications for
Enlistment at St. Louis Rejected
Because. Of Pedal
Defects.

st. Louis.--Are american men b.
coming nat tootsd7
Records Of the recruiting Offices Of
the United States marine corps and
the United States navy tend to show
that they ara One Of the frst tests
made In the examination Of applicants
eor enlistment IN the foot test; and
4 the applicant II found to be dat
footed the test goes no farther. The
applicant IL rejected forthwith.
Thirty.fvs per cent Of the appn-
cants for enlistment In the recruiting
omces in st. Louis are rejected be-
cause their feet fail to pass in
spection.
Apparently the fest Of the white
race are approaching the condition ex-
pressed By southern negro many
pears ego. when, commenting on the
track made by one Of his brethren. he
said: De hollow Of 70 foot makes .
hole In do groun'."
Fiat foot. according to the Webster
Dictionary, 10 foot In which the
azeh Of the instep 10 natened. 90 that
the entire sole Of the foot rests upon
The ground.
The condition Of the foot IL objected
to BY the United States marine corps
because 1t indicates the giving way
Of the tendons Of the feet. The de.
fect IL likely to become aggravated in
the fest Of soldiers in service on the
stsel decks Of ships or troops on long
marches.
This condition Of the foot IL said
to bs caused chiefly BY tho cheap
grades Of shoes on the market. The
sole Of the instep Is not suncientiy
hracsd to support the arch. omoers Of
The uaitsd States marine corps claim
that the shoes furnished by the gov
ssument to the soldiers win prevent
this defect. 90 the soles are sti6 and
viii support the ach. In few cases
partial cures Of the defect have been
made BY the wearing Of an arch In
he shos for several months.
Ths foot test at the recruiting somca
u very simpls one The applicant
b required to pull on his shoes and
socks. step on an ink pad to ink the
bottom Of his foot. thea step on the
Dhest Of white paper on which the i'm.
print Of the foot ia made. II the arch
Of the foot II broken down. the imprint
viii show that the nesh Of the foot
has spread out On both sides Of the
natural contour.
ash> ,ol1a<. ,., a osps~><1ou. - h,,o ,aAs
Of young men have been blightsd In
the last few years by the fact that
their feet fail to meet the government
requirement..
sergt. Harry Ennis Of the United
statss marine corps recruiting ONCE
In st. Louis says the rules against &C
cepting nat footed men became very
strict soon after the campaign in Mic
araSua in 1908. when 800 marines
spent three months on the shore. The
campaign evidently was severe test
TO their feet and soon afterwards "a
Of the 800 men were discharged on
account OF fiat feet. New orders were
Issued relative to foot inspection and
the recruiting officers were directed
to enlist no men who had nat feet
club feet, splay feet. large corns on
the sole Of the foot or corns on any
part Of the foot, II the corns appeared
to be irr1tated or sore: webbed toea
or the great toe crossing it's neigh
boring toe. Knock knees also dis
qualify 4 man from military service.
Comparatively few Of the applicant
Tor the marine corps can qualify. ow
lny to some physical defect. In addi
ton to tho IS per cent. rejected fos
low standard fest, 10 per cent. an
repocted for detective vision, ! pa
cent. for color blindness. 6 per cent
tor defective teoth and about 81 pei
sent. for other physical defects. NJ
more than Is per cent Of the appli
eaats are enlisted.