The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-11
Capt Albert Thurston Rich at his desk in the armory
What Capt. Rich Is Doing to Make F
Company of the 7lst the Most
Efficient Outside the
Regular Service.

the soldiers dance nor as tho wanda
/ of the soldiers proper recreation and
pleasure" said capt. Rich with "a
grave smile. III IL came To an OUT
aud out question whether the dance
or "A soldiers duty must go or stay
you may rest assured the dance would
have to- 20. There IL absolutely no
comparison between the two. \ SOL
her j. n soldier first and last. In he
tween times hc may he "A plcasur"
seeker or "A skylarkor; but not when
ii iutcrfcres with his efficiency as a
military man or consumes the time
that should ne devoted to making him
self more efficient.
"fOr instance the men at many of
the posts Of the regular army are
separated into what is known as tie
first, second ana third Grades. Of
these the first grade euiTdrcvs all ~
diers whose conduct has been such as
to entitle ;Eem to every privilege ,Nat
does not interfere with their COM
pany's routine work. Tncy are aiiuwe q
passes and they do no; have to per-
form duties from which /; is possible
10 excuse them.
"The conduct of the men day by day
and their proficiency as soldiers are
what places them In the various
grades. 1t IL considered Just Ill
vision and the men get 10 understand
It and to work for the greater reward
that the First Grade Will bring.
can see no reason why some such
arrangement would not work we'll
with guardsmen.
Suppose some Of my men in Com
pany + became slack in one detail or
another, while other men kept keyed
up TO n high pitch OF efficiency, The
man who worked hardest should he
entitled to all the privileges that that
| hard work deserves-the man who he
came careless or slack should be
barred from some of these same privl-
| leges. If attendance at a regimerta,
dance could he made the enjoyed or
the barred privilege. do not see why
it might not prove n very salutary
| scheme
I'm other words, Captain, II your
soldiers shirk trench digging they
| shouldn't he allowed 10 tango?'
| Not exactly that--but IL a soldier
doesn't know how to dig "A trench as a
good soldier should, then when he
dances, how can he dance as a good
| soldier should? Do You realize how
| important "A thing field duty Is IN the
routine OF the soldier? Drill him on
the polished floor Of the armory and
he will know a good deal of ore side
| OF his duty. But how about in the
field, whore the actual fighting IL ex-
| pectcd to he done, when IL is done?
| The state camp at Peekskill has
| helped To n most beneficial knowledge
| OF field duty, but is II enough? II
| IS the CrOss-COuntry march, the bly,
| ouac, the march again, the scout and
the participation in scenes offensive
| and defensive, as near as they can be
made to actual warfare, that give the
guardsman his best idea of the soldiers
| rough and ready duty.
| "In the great European war there
has been trench digging on scale
| never heard OF before. To dig trench
in the face Of deadly fire, to know
just how to dig II to give the bes
shelter in the least time, and then I,
know how Ia dig It larger for NOR,
permanent use, while still under fire
is crtpinly n very necessary accom-
plishmcnt for The soldier. He should
know Just hoW, without "A single un
Necessary motion, and Immediately a
the word thus"
Capt. Rich rose 10 his fun heigh
of six feet with his 40 pounds %
weigh, SO well distributed over hi
body that ne looked as lean as a racer
Yin trice he had put his arms through