The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 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-
esivabIs Corner of Civil Life Are Get
ting on Toward the Beginning Of .
Regeneration.
Plattsburg, N. MY captain Is q
worker Of magical colors. There are
1877 OF us upon whom his necromancy
has descended and upon whom it In
working its changes, says John NJ. Os-
kison Of the Vigilantes.
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 1t, 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 IL we didn't care for man
our privilege was to tell him to go to.
However, I started out to tell about
our captain. At our first formation he
came before us, slender man, IN
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:
"'TenshunI' We made ourselves
more rigid-if such an achievement
were possible.
"Restr We relaxed then, for we had
not altogether neglected our drill books
In the days of hurry and planning for
this training camp. Again:
"'Tc. ;hunT 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 1t, heels to-
.,ether or as near together as the con-
formation OF the body win permit"
There was q pause, a slight twttching
Of our captains face muscles. / knew
we would like him as soon as / saw
that fragment Of a 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 1t 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
nessof readiness.
"Now, 'tenshuni At ease! Next time
snap into it. 'Tenshun! That's better. y
And so on. Swapping into it was es-
tablished as the company ideal
A quality Of crisp decision marks oul
captain as Of the younger generation OF
American army men He isn't the kind
that "eats his young'-f1erce and terri
| tying. We say in cantonment comment
! that our captain knows. If he ever
had a period Of fumbling adolescence
| It must have been long, long ago. Nov
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 OF our cor
ners sharply at Column right" and
Column leftr AS the fellow next me
parodies the Billy Sunday hymn, Gu
OF the Corners! Cut or the Corners
Cut of the Corners as You Turn
We are learning to stand at balanc'
weight equally distributed betweeI
the balls and heels Of the feet. TIT
ramrod effect Is passing. We are be
ginning to sense the real meaning o
Attention. 1t Is 100 per cent alert
ness, from toe to the last convolutiol
of gray matter in the headpiece.
As said, we are victims Of our cap
tain's magic. Need I add, willing vic
Tins? You just naturally snap into 1
for the man that knows.