Norwich bulletin., 1917-08-14
LESSON No. 2
Making Good as a Soldier

e | (Preceding Lesson: 1. Your Post of I Honor)
 The National Army, in which you are to take your place. truly express es the American character and ideals It is a great democratic army. It in cludes men of all degrees of wealth and education. chosen through fair and open selection by lot: All are brought together on terms of equal ity. There has been and there will faVoritism and no pull" The poor man will drill side by side with the man who has been raised in luxury. Each will learn from the other The place each man makes for himself will be determined by his own work and ability.
 Developing SoldierIy Qualities.
 The question as to whether it is better to join the cOlOrs now or with Q later contingent is not worth ar guing. since the decision has been made for each man by lot. An am bilious man. however will be glad to join now. It gives him better chance for promotion. The commis- stoned officers of the first contingent are picked men who have voluntarily gone through the hardest kind of training. The officers of later con- gents will be drawn largely from the men enlisted in the first contingents There is plenty of opportunity here tor every man to use his brains and his energy and to earn promotion ac- mean easy or quick advancement. It means only that you will have your fair chance-and you would ask for nothing more-to develop yourself and to climb upward step by step.
 In order to make good in the na- tfOnal army you must, first of all, fit yourself to carry with credit the sim pie title of American Citizen Soldier If in, ho world. This means that you must develop in yourself the qualities of a soldier. The more quickly and thor ougthly you cultivate them, the greater will be your satisfa ction and success.
 There is very litle real difference of opinion as to soldierlv qualities. They have been determined by ages of ex- perience. Weapons change, but the soldiers who handle the weapons re- main much the same.
 Three Basic Qualities.
 There are three basic qualities without which no man can be a real l soldier even though he may tempor- arily wear a uniform. They are:
 Loyalty,
 Obedience,
 Physical Fitness.
 A man without these qualities is in the way ana IS source Of weakness to an army. both in the camp and on the field of battle
 The Articles of War of the United | States set forth the military crimes which are punishable by heavy pen a1ties Among these crimes are de- sertion, cowardice, insubordination, drunkenness while on duty, sleeping l while on duty as a sentinel, disclos- Ing the watchword, and giving aid or comfort to the enemy. Run over this list and you will see that every one of these military crimes can result l only from 5he absence of one or more l of the three basic qualities of a sol 1ier.
 Loyalty.
 soldiers loyalty governs, first of in, his feelings and actions toward | lis country, his government and his lag. There can be no such thing as halfway loyalty. The slightest com promise opens the door to treason.
 But a soldiers loyalty does not stop here. It governs also his feel ngs and actions toward the army and ,oward all the officers under whom le serves. It absolutely forbids dis obedience among both officers and l unlisted men, or disrespect toward hose in authority.