The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-09-20
COAST DUTY NOT BAD
SERGEANT OF SOUTH DAKOTA
REGINENT TELLS or LIFE
ON MEXICAN BORDER.

south Dakota soldiers AT the Mex
lean border are a healthy. we'll fed,
comfortably housed lot OF men. it
was explained today by Sergeant J..
y. Wallace. Fourth regiment, South
Dakota National guard. Sergeant
Wallace. a clean cut, khaki clad
young man of soldierly bearing, ac-
companied his regiment to Texas last
July. He arrived in Madison this
morning to obtain recruits for his
regiment, and is a guest at the Lake
Park hotel.
1T is neither all work nor all play
on the border" said Sergeant Wal
lace, when asked regarding accounts
Of p~riyation and hardship which has
been sent ont by newspaper CORE
spondents at the border. We have
good substantial food. frequently del
i%cacies, such as one would expect at
home. The houses are comfortable
ana sanitary, and there is little sick
ness"
Regarding the work soldiers are
called upon to perform, Sergeant
Wallace told that from s o'clock un-
I'll 11:30 o'clock in the morning
there are drill and school for pri-
Yates; from 1 o'clock until 2 O'Clock
in the afternoon there is officers
school non-commissioned officers
school from . o'clock until 3 o'clock,
and practice marching from 4 o'clock
until 5 o'clock. The soldiers assist
in keeping their camp in a clean and
sanitary condition.
When the South Dakota soldiers
arrived at San Benito, they found it
cooler there than il had been at Red
field. The Texas camps are famed
by all day breezes from the gulf.
The soldiers food consists of sta
pies and fresh vegetables. fresh meat
and fresh fish, and items not includ-
ed i'm the regular issue of rations
may be purchased with money from
the company fund.
Sergeant Wallace smilingly related
that most stories sent out regarding
the rayages Of rattlesnakes, horned
toads and scorpions are mythical
He said that during his sojourn on
the Mexican border he had seen but
one snake. and hat it was dead. and
that his only glimpse Of a scorpion
was had at Houston. Tex. where a
man was carrying one Of the little
animals in a box in his pocket.
The laboring element of southern
Texas is largely made up of Mexi-
cans. the sergeant explained. He
told that there are TWO distinct
classes of Mexicans who make the
American side of the international
boundary their home. and that the
working class compares favorably
with laborers 10 be found farther
north. lie said that the Mexicans
who enjoy the protection Of the
United States are apparently as 10y
al 10 the country as are members of
any other race here.
So far as Sergeant Wallace is
aware, the South Dakota regiment
has o been advised when it will be
returned home. The sergeant said
that he had understood that regi-
ments now at the border would be
sent north with the same railway
equipment that carries fresh units
south. Men between the ages of 81
years and 35 years are eligible to
join the militia. Young men Is
years of age may join when having
their parents consent. Recruits ac-
cepted BY Sergeant Wallace are sent
to Fort Crook. Neb.. for their issue
of clothing and ten days training be-
fore being assigned 10 regiments at
the border.
Sergeant Wallace spent a week at
Brookings and a week at Huron. He
said that most of the applicants so
far considered had been refused on
account OF disability or because they
were under the required age.