New Britain herald., 1916-08-09
REGULARS AND VOLUNTEERS

1 REGULARS AND VOLUNTEERS 1 There Is this difference between the
 regulars and the volunteers in Uncle 1 San's army: The regulars have not yet complained. Ever since the first detachment of American soldiers was sent to the border there has come | not one word of complaint from the ranks of the regulars Since the mo- ment our volunteers were sent down to the Rio Grande there has been a constant stream of complaints coming to the states. The volunteers complain; the regulars never com plain.
 What does it mean? Does Uncle Sam treat his regular army men better than the rockies who go out to do volunteer service on his behalf? If he does, this is the first instance of favoritism along these lines. Soldiers returning from the border, those who have been shipped back because of minor physical defects, weak eyes, poor hearing, sore feet, and multi tude of lesser evils, have voiced their disapproVal at the manner in which the army is run. Having spent the wonderfully long term of two or three months in the service they are quail fled to speak, Tn a short time some of them may take to the lecture plat form and inform an anxious public
 
 service. But there will never come from the regular soldiers any of these complaints. The regulars in Mexico did not register a ''kick" because they were sent down in day coa ches, were not provided with Pullman cars. They have not yet cried out against tho government because they are served with regular army rations instead of lobster and champagne. They are not yelling because dog tents are given them instead of summer cottages with luxurious rooms and all modern con- veniences. No! The regulars do not complain. They leave that to the vol unteers. And the volunteers have volunteered to make a good job of it.
 Without having been in the army, there are scores of men in the United States who know how the army should be conducted. Of course, the men who served two months on the Mexi- can border are more qualified to speak than those who never enlisted. And from these we learn that the army which has come down to us from Valley Forge is built up on the wrong lines. It was probably after the war between the states that the deteriOr- ating process set in. Anyway, the army is all wrong. The men who took the course at West Point might just as well have spent their time keeping books in a bakery. Gen. Leonard Wood, Gen. "Fighting Fred" Funston. Gen. Pershing, and all the rest have missed their vacations. General Wood should have continued the practice of medicine and Funston might be used to great advantage these days writing war neaOllneS TOT the newspaper, his old love. They know nothing about conducting the army. It is sad but true. Our army is in need of complete overhauling. Not that the regulars complain; but the 1 volunteers do. They have many com l plaints. First, the Pullman cars.
 Each troop should have a private
 train. When a destination is reached 1 there should be a cOvey of automobiles
 at the station to carry the men along. l Then, instead of tents they should l be taken to the residential section | and enscOnced in mansions either
 of stone or marble. Here too. is the ! chance to get 'service." Japanese valets and colored walters. Then,
 there should be no dearth of amuse- l nerts Bowling alleys, billiard tables.
 a well appointed library, and other