The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-11

mouths and a half the dominant feature that IS impressed on them Is that TAey are disciplined. They know now u obey crcsls.
 Discipline Is a great leveler when over two months ago men gathered here from 0ll parts of the country for the trainlAi5 they came from all walks Of life and they we're not disciplined. That is, the nil- tary game rt4llcd their naughty sp.rlts to a great extent and many marsh W0fos were sasd about Cne officers Bdt auch is the psychology of discipHne that tsie officers Who were hated, and cussed only a short month ago are now the idols ol the men, The candidates are hardened tU rough usage and they like the malta- nets that formerly drove them to distfac- ton,
 These marunents are all west Point graduates. They have absolutely 10 scruples about ealing down men who are not dong things exactly as if is writ- ten in the book. And these sharp eFit- cisnss have had the effect of making the candidates q little more careful, esI eciaily the stars of the companies. Tor ii there is anything that these West Point ln- atructors like to do it is to jack up sorne sclf-suMicient candidate who has already imagined hlmseif into majority.
 CHANGE III ATTITUDE One of these martinets who inspired great deal of cussing IS instructor for the Thirteenth company. He is now highly popular with the men, although he is just as hard and exaeting aas he was the first day he appeared on the com pany screet. His name is Captain Thomas Monroe.
 The candidates at that time nicbnamed him Captain sEig iron" They called him that hagshly in the old days; now it is: / 'Pis Iron is a mishty good fellow and the squarest man in the park" Such are the mental changes worked by discipline in 8 few short weeks. Captain Monroe is still the ruthless taskmaster, but hss pupils now love the bitter medicine he serves because they appreciate that [ is good for them and will make them good officers. This explains why Company F, which formerly sWore at Captain Pig Iron now swear by him. His ~brain- less pets are now earnestly on the joD.
 Of course. in the final weeks of the camp rumors are as prolific in their birthrate as the Chinese. one rum0r starts and by the time it comes back il is so distorted that it is considered an entirely new story, and passed on with embellishments SIS such. These runors concern the number of commission that will be given out, and when. Other ru- mors are that the camp will close early. These early closing rumors gain little credence now as it is firmly established that the candidates will end their work on November q and will be allowed to leave camp on November 27.
 MANY ALREADY LEAVING
 Naturally the camp is closing prema- turely for hundreds of the candidates. n fact, the authorities have Eeen gradual ing "thrd" licutenants for the past week by the score These men after two months of endeavor lose out through the workings of the great American principle the survival of the fttest. They go home with anly the satisfaction of having tried. It is irony that sears the heart for many of these candidates who failed to snffi- ciently impress their superior officers of their military qualifications.
 But so far no candidate can call his soul his own None knows whom the fates will choose. The strain is terrific, for it means 2 great deal to every man in this camp to receive a commission. It is an honor that they have fought for in three months of gruelling training. and their hearts are ready for the great day when the announcements will be made.