The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1917-07-03
METHODS OF SELECTING MEN
FOR NATIONAL ARMY WILL
BE ABOVE cRiTicisM.
NO CHANCE OF FAv0RITISM
Ruies for Physical Examination -
Volunteer Recruits for Regular
Army viii Be Modified for the
Young conserlpts.
BY EDWARD D. CLARK.


there there may be some "trick Of the
trade" by which certain men may be
drawn for the new army and certain
other men not drawn by means of
some def Straightforward performance.
The last Registration day reports
have come into Washington. There Is
not enough concern left In the results
Of registration to shadow the rapidly
looming interest In the methods which
will be adopted to choose the service
men by use Of the rule Of chance.
The country can Mt once give over
any apprehension that the drawings
will not be fair. A method will be
adopted by which the drawings will
be lifted from out Of any shadow Of
suspicion as to the fairness Of methods.
There will be no possibility that any
one can enter n legitimate objection to
the means which are to be employed
to give all men equal chances In the
matter.
The chances seem to be that for the
new army there will he some modIf-
cation Of the rules which now are in
force for the physical examination of
volunteer recruits for the regular
army. II Is not believed that young
Americans for the new forces will be
compelled to measure up to the stand
ards set for recruiting for the regulars.
When 1t was declared day or two
ago, seemingly by authority. that regu-
lar army standards would be main
tained for physical examination,
croakers instantly began to say. "ThIs
will not leave one really stalwart young
American In the country"
Why So Few Are Accepted.
1t Is pretty generally known that out
OF every five men who have applied
In the past at regular recruiting offices,
only one man has been accepted. No
one has seemed to realize the real
reason for this condition Of things. In
certain districts in the United States
fully 90 per cent Of the volunteers of
the regular army have been accepted.
In some other districts only 10 per cent
Of the willing ones have been accepted.
II Is matter easily explained.
In the past. notably In the city dis
trfcts. there have applied TO the re-
crulting officers thousands OF men of
whom by far the greater percentage
were seeking enlistment because they
had come to the conclusion that they
could do nothing In civil life. Army
officers, II they would talk. could tell
tales OF hundreds of down and cutters,
physical decreplts. who. tired with the
struggle to get a living, perhaps not by
the labor route, have applied for per-
mission to serve Uncle Sam, with good
money, good bed, good board, good
clothing and good care thrown in. II
was the down and cutters and the men
who, not willing to consider themselves
down and out. yet through adverse con-
ditions had become run down physical
ly, who applied In largest numbers to
the recruiting officers for regular serv-
ice.
1t was the. inevitable thing, there
fore that the recruiting office records
In the great cities should show only
about one enlistment for about four
or five applicants. In the country dis
tricts the percentage of acceptances
was much higher, because away from
the cities living conditions were better,
and moreover many sturdy young
Americans we're willing to enlist to get
chance to see life under new con-
ditions.
Probably Fifty Per Cent Eli.
VTnhnr ha Low In - ,l~l,
OF the new national army every young
American between twenty-one and thir-
ty-one was compelled to register for
service. The percentage OF health and
strength In young Americas ranks Is
high. II Is the belief Of many army
officers that at least 80 per cent Of the
men who registered last Tuesday can
meet the requirements of regular army
physical standards. In all probability
they will not be compelled to meet
them, however because II they were,
the man who was little underweight
but who could put on weight In
week, would escape service, while the
other man who happened to be just
about right would be compelled to take
on service.
Almost unquestionably the physical
standards for examinations will be
changed to meet the requirements OF
the present case. They will not be
lowered sufficiently, however, TO allow
any man TO get into the service who
cannot under proper care and training
be made physically fit within few
weeks to stand an examination as rigid
rs the one ordinarily In use in recruit
Ing for the regular army.
The camps Of the army just regis
tered Will he made rs healthful as hui
man ingenuity can devise. There will
be drill and hard work In plenty, but
there VIII also be recreation and
system n '1eaves" by which the re-
cruts in camp can get away for n day
or two M Il time occasionally from the
"walls Of military discipline" II is
realized by the army authorities that
all work and no play makes an indif-
ferent soldier.