Weekly journal-miner., 1917-06-13
GLOOM SPREADS OVER CAMP AT
 PRES|D|O
UNCLE SAM HAS NOT YET COME THROUG H WITH HUNDRED DOL LARS MONTH HE PROM ISED RESERVISTS.
By Associated Press

DAN fRiNOlSNO, Junc o-N Illc there are many men of independent income among those who arc prepar- ing themselves at the Prcsidio mili- tary reservation here for commissions ir the new United States army and to whom the matter of hundred dollars d month is a mere incidental, the ma jority of the candidates are not so fortunate and the failure of congress thus far to provide for their pay is causing them considerable uneasiness. Many of these men were dependent On regular salaries tor the mainten- ance of their families and themselves teforc they undertook the training course with the understanding that they would be recompensed during that interval. Although the word has been passed around that eventually ' the money would be forthcoming, the problem as to how expenses at home during the interim are to be met daily is growing more acute
 Another source of gloom, if by any chance there is time for any gloom to | be sandwiched in between the multi | farious duties that the men are called on to perform, is the vacant bunk of some chap who had shown himself to be made of the right kind of stuff and for whom the men had taken a liking. but who. for physical or other reasons, has been dropped from the rolls. There have been many of these instances of late and more than one man has been taking stock of himself in an effort to determine whether or not he has any of the deficiencies which will number him among those not present. The "weeding out" pro- cess is in full swing and IS causing quite as much uncasincss in the camp as the matter of lack of funds.
 However, with several thousand rlen in camp it is expected that there will be many minor tragedies enacted every day What may be serious matter for one man is not given a thought by another There is ono thing however in which all arc agreed. And that is-thc name of shortcuts" which has been applied to them must Dc delccted from the camp lexicon The term first was applied in the carly days of the camp by some of the regulars" in view of the fact that the men were going to receive com missions in three months which, un- der ordinary circumstances, cannot be 1 secured in less than four years. The camp is unit in its stand that when four years work is crowded on them in three months, those who getl through the ordeal will have accom- rlishcd something that never was di canned of in the case of the "rcgu- lar," who had plenty of time to absorb | all the ins and outs of officcring. From HOW on, anyone who refers to them as shortcuts" is likely to have some thing on his hands.
 If any evidence were needed to | rrove that the men were becoming physically hardened, it was to be found on the last few holidays which have been granted them. While a few weeks ago the men would be glad to turn into their hunks after the rigors of a days training or sought buckets of cold-water in which to re- duce their burning and infamcd feet, now they are employing their leisure hours in hiking over the surrounding | country by way of rest and recrea- ton" The trails of Marin county and ther counties bordering on San Francisco bay are dotted with khakis under the campaign hat cncircled with | a red, white and blue cord, the latter i being the insignia of the reserve of iiccrs' camp. Many of these men arc San Franciscans who have been used to long weekend tramps all their Ives and to whom the carly days of the camp had few tcrrors as far as their feet were concerned. Walking ! is the San Franciscan'S favoritc out door sport, boy and girl, man and woman.
 With the end of the first month of | intensive trainlng at an end next week the work of selecting the men for their specialtics in the various branch cs will begin. Infantry. cavalry, ar tillcry and engineers will all get their quota and inc men will then be in structcd in the intricacics of the vari- GUS departments to which they arc assigned. This will be continued for the last two months of the training period. X number of polo stars arc looking forward to this time as they have put in their applications for as signmcnt to the cavalry and arc eager iy anticipating the joy of again being astridc horse.
 q may be dub as foot soldier" said player known as one of the most brilliant poloists on the Pacific coast, but they can't tell me anything 1 don't know about staying on a horse