The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-08-13
THE RECRUITING OFFICE
By Brnds1llc y. Haakllnl.


lat the next session, to increase the
number of enlistments which the navy
may legally accept and thus make 1t
possible to bring this branch of the
Lservice up to It's full necessary
strength.
Army Enlistments Increase.
The condition of the army Is not
quite as fortunate as that OF the navy
because of the superior at
ttractfons in the manner OF lie and IN
travel offered with the feet. But. even
i so, the rate of enlistments In the army
have increased some twenty per cent
since the hag-saluting incident at Tam
tpico. Just as the impetus given by
this occurrence was commencing To-
die down, the European war begun,
and 1t brought home the fact that the
United States needed more men TO-
guard its shores in case of conflict.
This also stimulated enlistment and
ldiscouraged desertion-the one having
Increased and the other decreased
materially in the last year. Uncle
Sam does not believe in supporting
huge standing armies, as are favored
abroad, but 1t trains Its men 70 tne
minute and every man who has en-
listed within the last year is in con-
dition to- give a good account OF n1m-
self IN the event OF war.
Some years ago the army and navy
were not in such good shape Win re-
gard to numbers as they are at pres
ent, and the authorities at Wash1n gtoh
cast about for means OF sttmutatinS
enIistudents. To this end they con-
suited a number OF elhciency eA 0pse..s
ALI OF whom mentioned the old maxim
at pays to advertise" So Uncle Sam
entered the ranks of advertisers. In
newspapers and magazines, by means
of posters and even through the med
jun Of moving pictures. he exh1olted
the alluring life OF a solder or sail
or or marine The results We're most
satisfactory and the governments ap-
preparation for advertising Is still con
siderable.
Good Persuasion.
Gayly colored posters are to bel
found in nearly every postofhce, de-
p:cting the joys of life on the ocean
wave or the destinations OF a soldiers
career These posters direct the appli-
cant to the nearest recruiting othce,
where he finds officers who tell him
of the duties of soldier or sailor the
pay they receive, the chances for pro
motion and the many advantages to "
found in serving the flag. Exclusive OF
those rejected because of physical dis
abilities it ESTIMATED that fully
eighty per cent of the men who ser
iously apply for information concern
ing the military service enlist Tor ~
least one period. All of which speaks
we'll for the persuasive abilities of the
recruiting officers.
But the recruiting Office is far from
being colorless or without its share
OF the romantic. Men come there from
all walks OF lffe-the gay young blood
who has been cast of by his family
and who wishes to retrieve his repu-
tation and rebuild his physique by
three years in the service of his coun-
try; the patriot who considers that ne
owes at least portion Of his life to
the service OF his flag; the unemployed
who enIists solely because he can find
work nowhere else; the disappointed
in love who seek solace from their
feartaches; the man in trouble Who
knows that he can start anew IN the
army or the navy. All these and more
drht to the recruiting stations anu
from them there flows q neyer-endtng
stream Of human interest. sad or
happy, drab or colorful.
Consider, for example, the story OIL
George and Edmund Carson, brothers
who. although not twins. we're almost
exactly alike. George. the elder and
the black sheep of the family. got into
trouble IN his home town in Tho.
Middle West and ran away. The only
some echo of his wild career in the
submerged tenth of one of the big
eastern cities. He was given up Tor,
lost and the hopes OF the family were
pinned upon Edmund Carson. who was
sent to West Point, whence he gradu-
|ated with high honors.
To the Same Post.
Unknown to any of the members
of his family. George Carson had en-
listed in the army and the long arm
of coincidence, which causes SO
much trouble In real life and the
movies. pulled the strings that
moved Lieutenant Edmund Carson
to- the same army post where his
hrother was stationed as 8 private.
The elder Carson recognized his bro
Their almost Immediately, but Ed
face of a private who you'd have
borne a striking resemblance to him
had his features not been lined by
premature age and the life that he
had led.
Not wishing further to disgrace