Evening journal., 1917-08-29


private soldiers. Their work IS Of the
greatest importance and deserves all
the respect and pnaise which It de.
serves. A great many men in the Ma
tional Army, however will be ambi-
tious to rise 10 higher ranks They
will find plenty Of encouragement and
/, OF opportunities for promotion
II you are one Of these men, don't
allow yourself 10 forget the fact that
you can win promotion only by prov
ing your fitness in each duty intrusted
10 you. Il Is a rare case when a man
, Is Jumped" several ranks ahead. AS
a rule, he climbs from one rank to
the next higher rank after having de.
monstrated IN each position his intel
ligence, honor and reliability.
Even as a private. you may win adj
vancement 10 the grade known as
firstclass privates. About onefourth
Of the privates In each company may
be given the rating "frst-class." which
means In substance they are regard
ed as skilled and trustworthy sol
diers.
Non-commlsssoned Officers.
From the hrstclass privates are
usually chosen the corporals. These
are the squad leaders They are ap.
pointed by the commanding officer OF
the regiment on the recommendation
OF the commanding officer OF the com
pany In addition TO the regularly ap-
pointed corporals each company may
have one lance corporal This Is
temporary appointment made by the
company commander for the purpose
OF testing the ability OF some private
whom he is thinking OF recommend.
ing for permanent appointment In
case the lance corporal does not make
a good showing or for any other rea.
son. he may be returned TO the ranks
when the commander OF the company
sees ft.
Next above the corporal in rank
comes the sergeant There are usual
ly 30 IL sergeants in a company
; Unless a sergeant has some other
duty assigned to him. he is normally
/. the leader OF a platoon. There are.
however. many special duties con
stantly assigned to sergeants The
first sergeant (in Army slang. the
/. top sergeant') for example, keeps
certain company records, forms the
company IN ranks, transmits orders
from the company commander and
performs many other important tasks.
, The supply sergeant sees TO bringing
up supplies OF all kinds to the com
, pany. The mess sergeant looks after
, food. The stable sergeant Is respons.
ible FOR the proper care Of horses and
/ mules. The color sergeant carries the
J national or regimental colors. There
) are many other grades within the
! rank of sergeant which can not be
3 described here. You will gradually
become familiar with them during
your army experience.
1 Commissioned Offloera-
r Sergeants and corporals are known
as noncommissioned officers, because
they are appointed bv their regimen
y tai commanding officer Oficers of
Q higher ranks are known as commits
T. stoned since they hold their rank By
{ virtue OF a commission issued TO
3 them under authority OF the President
Of the United States The commits
stoned officer is thus on quite a dif
! ferent footing from the "noncom"
(noncommlssioned ofiicer) He OBJ
tains HIS rank and authority from
: higher source. He Is treated with
respect which "a OF a different char
acter from that extended 10 a non
commissioned officer. This Is one of
the fundamental things In Army or
ganization.
Lowest in rank amog the commits
stoned officers Is the second lieuten-
ant Above him comes the first lieu
tenant and above him the captain
These are the three company on
GERS Tho capital. Is ordinarily the
commanding officer OF a company,
} while the lieutenants might be des.
cribed as assistant captains. In the
absence OF disability OF the captain.
however. the first lieutenant takes
HIS place and has full command, and
IN the absence or disability of both
the second lieutenant takes the com
! mand.
i n xt above the captain is the major.
whose proper command Is a batta.
I lion. A step higher IS the lieutenant
- colonel and above him the colonel
the commanding officer OF a regiment.
= The lieutenant colonel ordinarily
assists the colonel and In his absence
, takes the command. In case both the
e lieutenant colonel and the colonel are
{ disabled OF absent the senior major
l. takes the command
e The General Officers.
Above the colonel Is the brigadier
B general, whose proper command Is
J. brigade Above the brigadier general
J. is the major general the highest rank
2 at present held by any officer Of the
American Army
One general. however serves as
Chief OF Staff OF the Army AS such
l. be supervises all troops and depart.
J. ments Of the military service. He in
y turn reports TO the Secretary OF War
I The Secretary OF War IN his turn
d acts under the general direction Of
n the President OF the United Ststps
q who Is the Commanderin Chief
= The chain OF authority reaches IN
q an unbroken line all the way from
e. the President to the newest recruit.
. II the President chooses 70 give an or
2 der which in any way affects the re.
n cruit, II passes through the secre-
u tary Of War. Chief OF Stan. major gen
= eral, brigadler general. colonel. ma
i jor, captain, sergeant. and possibly
u corporal until the recruit IS reached
D. and the order obeyed.
Ordinarily only the most general
= instructions are issued by the higher
officers The manner IN which these
y instructions shall be carried out Is
y left to the judgment OF officers in
p closer contact with the troops and
4, with a more intimate knowledge OF
u the conditions under which they are
Is working
a NEGRO ON TRIAL FOR
- ENNrf or -