Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-08-12
FIRST BIG WEEK
OF ROCKIES PAST
Embryo Soldiers Begin to
Lead Life of Army in
Earnest.
LEARNING LESSONS QUICKLY
Willing Spirit Prevails in the
Ranks; Look Eagerly to
the Future.
lBY ]. A. BRILLD

There's a whole week gone by in
the enlistments of two companies Of
soldiers at Camp Sinclair, and
Many are the backs that are weary
tonight.
'Tenting on the old camp ground"
And of the term of service of the
three hundred odd soldiers there re-
mains but a scant two years, IL
months and 23 days, with chance
of three more years being tackled on
top Of 1t.
Behind the soldiers stretches a long
week of camp-making, tents pitched,
bitches dug, sleep in unwonted quart
ers, unusual work, drills and drills,
countless roll-calls and the eternal
lining up for mess.
There will be many more camps to
pitch and to break, and countless
more drills. But the rockies have
passed the big week. Behind them
lies at least the dire change from the
life OF a citizen to that of military
man, and many tenderfoot aches and
ruffled feelings stung by the incision
of an officers brisk orders.
Look Into Future.
Before the men lies, as well as the
tedium Of camp life, the great un-
known. 1t stretches dimly in their
minds thru a couple of weeks more
months in mobilization camp at Fort
Worth, Texas, and then
Far away across the ocean the
rockies picture themselves. In a land,
perhaps the beloved France. In a
foreign land. perhaps redarkened or
heightened Russia; lands half-famine
stricken, all but under the heel of an
iron oppresSor.
Thitkerward leads the path of the
rockies, and thlther lies surely hard
battles, grim days and nights OF
anxiety and struggle, perhaps even a
forgotten end in an unmarked grave
on shell-swept hillside.
OF most of this they think. But as
yet the thought Of being shot enters
but little into their minds. They are
thinking of the glory that shall be
front, lending material aid TO the al
lies, who have needed 1t long and
sorely.
The lure of adventure is undoubt-
edly strong in many soldier minds at
Camp Sinclair, but it at all times ap
pears to be subservient to the cheerful
spirit of self-sacrifice for the coun
try's honor.
The rockies in single week have
rounded well into their embryo sol
diership. A week ago they came into
They could not march, they, most of
them, that is, did not know a single
custom or order.
In seven days the rockies have es
tablished a complete camp, well
drained and sanitary, with neat
streets and clean level parade grounds
They have learned the rudiments of
drill by squads by platoons and by
companies.
Learn Many Lessons.
They know how to take care Of
their own clothes, how to wash their
own dishes and how to salute an Off
Ger. And in successive school per-
iods they have been taught many of
the essentials of personal cleanliness
and hygiene, which in many instances
had formerly been more or less
neglected.
They have learned we'll how to
obey orders. They have much in this
line yet to learn, bus that is the hard
est problem for the green" soldier.
For this very reason officers dur
ing the past week have been more
than lenient with their men. Many
rockies have escaped the guard
house and incidental heavy fatigue
during the week thru the kindness of
officers in overlooking a great num-
DeT OI I1lSueeuS. ney CnOSe 10 let
their men learn lessons of courtesy
and obedience by degrees and the men
are coming to be appreciative of it.
At the beginning of the week Cap
tain LaReau, in an address to the
men, told them that he intended CIV
ing them the utmost privileges that
camp etiquette would allow, and that
these privileges would be extended
until abused. And the men thus far
have apparently won an extension.
Their conduct in camp and in the up
town districts according to reports has
been exemplary, and officers have on
repeated occasions referred to the men
of the two companies as of high |
moral tone.
The week has proved that there is
an almost ideal spirit of democracy
as well as comradeship existing in the |
ranks The only evidence of class
shirt and hickery-
will have disappeared when the new
arrive.
To show the cheerful spirit of self |
sacrifice which the men are showing, |
IL has been doped out by ex-haber- |
dashers' clerks in the ranks that the |
volunteers will have personally con-
tributed something like $4,000 worth |
of clothing in the country's service |
before they don the khaki of the
army.