The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-07

prerequisites of efficiency in every business or profession, and to send men back from the camps better pre- pared to take care of themselves and of others.
 The expense is: $S0 for SeEior Di- exclusive of uniform, which costs about $10, and railway fare The ob igation to defend the country in case of need already rests on all male citi- zens of military age. Attendance at a military training camp neither in creases nor diminishes this existing obligation.
 In July, 1913, the first training camp of the Regular Army for college and high school students was held on the. field Of Gettysburg. In the same year a students camp was also held at Monterey, California, and in 1914 and 1915 similar camps were held in va rious parts of the country. In Juc 1915, a corresponding movement was started among the younger profession al and business men, and r ssulted in the Plattsburg training camps for Bus mess and Professional men Of 1915, with an >atten1s.nce of 1,S00 men. Like the stu6ent camps, these camps were held with the approval Of tle War Department and under officers and in conjunction with troops of the Regular Army. A high standard of morale and substantial military re- suits were attained. Indirectly the P1attsburg idea brought about a sini- lar camp at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, attended by over 500 men, and simi- lar movements in various parts of the country.
 Plans are being made for sectional camps on a large scale in the summer of 1916. UnquestiOnab1y the t''Platts- burg idea'' has had great influence throughout the nation in developing a sense of military obligation among the young men of the country, and the present indications are that at least 30,O0O will attend these camps this summer.
 The aim is to give men of average physique four or five weeks a year of intensive military instruction under of fcers of the Regular Army, so that at the end of that time men of no pre- vious military experience will, at least, have learned the rudiments of military organization and discipline and use of the military rifle, and become some | what familiar with the equipment, feeding and sanitary care of an army in the field, and the handling and con trol of men in maneuvers. | No examinations are held, but at the completion of the training recom- mendations are made by the company commanders as to the efficiency of the attendant and certificates of compe- tency are issued by the commanding
 
 ment.
 i The men of the First Training Reg i1nent, composed of 1,S0o men who at | tended the PIattsburg Camps (Senior Division) in, 1915, are deeply interest ed in the extension of the training camp movement. So strongly do they believe in the importance and value of these camps that they are underta- king to bring the purposes of the camps to the attention of as many as possible of the young men of the coun- ! try and to urge them to attend the camps.
 | While the patriotic motive must and should be the most powerful consid- eration to impeI men to attend the camps we can testify to many advan- tages from the individual standpoint. The out-of-door life and hard exercise, the strict but sensible discipline of the Regular Army officers, the interesting i study of a subject outside of our nor nal work, the opportunity of associat- l ing in a common cause with a vigorous body of men drawn from many diff ferent communities and occupations make the experienced both interesting and inspiring.
 Executive committee of First Train ing Regiment Organization is: Robert Bacon, New. York; William Marshall BuIIitt, Kentucky; Philip A. Carroll, New York; GrenvilIe Clark, New York J. W. Farley, Massachusetts; R. M McElroy. New Jersey; John Purroy Mitchell, New York; George Wharton Pepper, Pennsylvania; William Cooper l lProcter. Ohio;s W. McM. Rutter, Illi- nois.