Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-09-12
LESSON No. -.
THE SPIRIT OF THE SERVICE.

The SPIRIT OF THE SERVICE.
Preceding Lessons: 1. Your Post OF
Honor 2. Making Good as a soldier. 3.
Nine Soldierly Qualities. :. Getting
Ready for Camp. .. First Days in Camp.
6. Cleanliness in Camp. :. Your Health.
:. Marching and Care Of Feet. Q. Your
Equipment and Arms. 10. Recreation
In Camp. A.. Playing the Came. II.
Teamwork in the Army. -. Grouping
Men into Teams. "a. The Team Leaders.
IS. Fighting Arms OF the Service i6.
stan Branches Of the Service. II.
STAFF Branches OF the Service-lI. rs.
Army Insignia. 10. The Army System
Of Training. 20. Close Order Drill. 2i.
Extended order Drill. %. Guard Duty.
3. Getting Ahead in the Army "a.
Army Courtesy. %. Discipline and Re
spect for the Colors. &c. Some National
Traditions).
The spirit that dominated the Amer
lean armies at Bunker HILL New Or
leans, Buena Vista, Gettysburg and
Santiago win just as surely dominate
The National Army on the battle fields
VI Europe.
This spirit is a compound. II is made
up in part OF democratic feeling, in
NoAh VI ANnR'AN anu ANNN ANA AAAN AhnT
lion, and in part Of Americanism.
h The United States Army has always
been and will always remain a demo-
cratic Army Every man in the Army
Is made 10 feel that his brains and his
individuality count for something. 10
is not merely a big, soulless machine
that moves with mechanical precision.
L is a team" Each man in the team
Is presumed to be intelligent and self
reliant
democracy in the Army.
OF course there can be no teamwork
without regularity and strict discip-
line This Is equally true OF football
Dr. baseball team. There must also be
farious ranks and degrees Of author
lty. And sometimes this necessary or
ganlzation and close regulation creates
an impression that the Army is not
democratic.
But the fact Of the case is that Amer
lean soldiers accept the reasonable
discipline OF the Army readily because
they have the good sense 20 realize
that these things are necessary. They
accept them without losing in the
least their real independence as free
citizens.
Furthermore. American armies are
democratic because the path Of promo
ton Is wide open. Any man who has a
% reasonable amount Of ability can prac-
tice. can study, can cultivate the
qualities OF a soldier and a leader. and
can work his way up. And this is the
real test OF a democratic army.
In a special sense the National Array
Is democratic. A great democracy must
always carry on IFS affairs through
~. ,t,Nt
less familiar with this principle as Il
is applied in time Of peace. Now it Is
applied in time OF war. Through 9
process Of fair selection the National
Army has been picked TO represent all
parts OF the country and all groups
OF the people Never has America sen
forth an army so truly representative
Df the nation.
There are always pessimists in ever,
generation who insist that patriotism
is dead or at least decaying They have
not been lacking I'm recent years. TheI
comes a crisis such as now cOnfrOnt'
us. And always the question Of pa
triOtism is answered by a free out
pouring Of effort, money and blood OF
the part Of citizens Of ali types II
every section OF the country. This b
exactly what is now going Oman,
what will continue TO go on with in
creasing force until the war is brough
20 victorious end.
Everybody Must Help.
Every citizen Of the United State
now has OF will have certain dutle
10 perform, certain sacrifices to make
The burden does not rest wholly upOl
you and other men who take up arms
II rests in part also upon the men ant
women who stay behind. For modcrl
war on a big scale demands that Tn
whole nation, in sense, should go &
war. The tasks required Of some ma
be harder than the tasks required o
others. but all Of them are necessar
I'm order TO make sure or the result.
Many manufacturers and workers
often women as we'll as men-mus
give up their own work and plans i
order to pr0SSce war supplies. Thos
who remain Where they now are-be
rause they are engaged in some oc
olpation just as necessary in war a
In peace, such as farming mining
funnine railroads, and the like-mus
20 at their work with redoubled enel
gy and without expecting profits 70
themselves: il would be a great mis-
lake II everyone were taken away froI
these necessary lines Of effort In orde
20 Join the cOlors as a soldier. A
must carry a heavy burden Of taxa
ZION.
Certain men-among whom you az
Dne-have been or will be chosen 9
representatives OF the nation TO defen
our rights and safety on the battle
Geld You and your fellow soldiers az
selected from the young men Of tl
country who are best fitted for mil
tary service.
This process OF organizing the who
y nation for war can not, OF course,
completed in a day. But is is steadll