The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1917-07-06
MAKING SOLDIERS
Daily Life at PIattsburg Camp
Interestingly Told.
CAPTAIN GETS ATTENTION.

Under His Spell Slack Minded, Care
less Habited Men From Every Con-
eeivabIe Corner Of Civil Life Are Get
ting on Toward the Beginning Of a
Regeneration.
Plattsburg, n. My captain is a
worker of magic-all colors. There are
167 of us upon whom his necromancy
has descended and upon whom it is
working its changes, says John NJ. Os-
kison of the yigilantes
In our day to day life, before we
stepped into this atmosphere of bugle
call and policing of environments, we
not merely wanted what we wanted
when we wanted it, but did what we
had to do when we wanted to- Darn
independent Americans we were-with
that sign over our desks which remind
ed us that If we didn't care for man
our privilege was to tell him to go to -.
However, | started out to tell about
our captain. At our first formation he
smooth strides, stopped abruptly and
said very distinctly. AT ease" Where
upon he looked us over, running his
alive black eyes slowly along our ranks.
We were not at ease under that scru-
tiny-believe me. Then:
"'Tenshun We made ourselves
more r1gid--if such an achievement
were possible
Rest" We relaxed then for we had
not altogether neglected our drill books
in the days of hurry and planning for
this training camp. Again:
"Tenshun!" We simulated in our
several strange fashions the well known
ramrod. Then from our captain:
when you come to the position of
attention you snap into it, heels to-
gether or as near together as the con-
formation of the body will permit"
There was a pause. slight twitching
of our captains face muscles. l knew
we would like him as soon as | saw
that fragment of grin and reflected
that his eyes were caught by the handy
legged little Irishman. whom | will call
Casey. We'd known Casey nearly ten
hours-and were convinced. The army
needs him, even though his heels are
three inches apart as he takes the posi-
ton of the soldier
Again, | am getting away from the
text of this little piece and the man
who furnishes the illustration. Think
ing Of our captain and his immediate
appreciation of Casey probably ac
counts for my diversion.
This is the way it is DONE said our
captain, facing first right and then left
and coming to attention" 1T Is not
a position of strain. 1t is one of alert
ness-of readiness.
"Now, 'tenshun! At ease! Next time
snap into it. 'Tenshun! That's better"
And so on. Swapping into 1t was es
tablished as the company ideal.
A quality of crisp decision marks our
captain as of the younger generation OF
American army men. He isn't the kind
that "eats his young and terri
flying We say in cantonment comment
that our captain knows. If he ever
had a period of fumbling adolescence
1t must have been long. long ago. Now
he knows and can tell what he knows.
Under his magic spell we slack mind
ed, careless habited men from every
conceivable corner of civil life are get
ting on toward the beginning OF re-
generation. We are cutting off our cor
ners sharply at Column right" and
Column left" AS the fellow next me
parodies the Billy Sunday hymn, cut
off the Corners Cut off the Corners !
Cut off the Corners as You Turn!
We are learning to stand at balance
weight equally distributed between
the balls and heels of the feet. The
ramrod effect is passing. We are be-
ginning to sense the real meaning OF
Attention 1t is 100 per cent alert
ness. from toe to the last convolution
of gray matter in the headpiece.
As said, we are victims of our cap
tain's magic. Need I add, willing vic
tims? You just naturally snap into 1t
for the man that knows.