New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-16
Advice to Recruits
An Old Fighter Urges Them to c;.,
Their Best

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The good that comes TO a n,.io,
gagged in a great war, righteous w, |,
mean, is the moral, spiritual awakenin, ~.
must take place. That this is needed 4, ~,
country at the present time it is no. -
sary to argue.
As Civil War veteran, IL is TO The.
cruit that wish to make few sugges,io,.
In the light of such experience as | s,;"',
in active warfare then, urge that eyerv ~.
that enlists resolve to get the best and -
the worst out of the unfortunate copsi..'
into which we have been forced.
Physically, it is surely worth while IA -
the habit of standing erect, the proper -.
control of the body while in actjo, -
ability to heed and instantly obey q commas
getting the shoulders back and keeping Dr.
there, head fairly high, and the abli,, ;.
look every man in the eye.
I And the Joy of knowing and liking ,;,,,.
food. To find out, for the frs. Tim. -
/ life, perhaps. how good bread is ana L.
sweet water is. To see clearly that ors A..
not need half the things that civilizs,o, ~
/ poses on us. To know the luxury Of ab;L;-.
! light" with all non-essentisls cast asds Az
/ there should come the Joy Of team vork ,.'
pure democracy of working together T.
good cause and for the good Of all IT,,
pleasant emulation of striving tore,h.. ~
give the best there is in one-in . -
( Service, and the very best that you are ,...
bic Of
OF all places the army is the las, A..
where intoXicants should be used or tolerated
| have seen too much of the evil es..,,
| enlisted at sixteen, and now, at seventh
one, have never tasted of tobacco or vb,.
! key. | think / am a better man ,o.d.,
physically, mentally and morally, than womb
have been the case had never served a,
soldier in active warfare.
! Trouble with other soldiers or officer, 4,
usually unnecessary. II some ones condu,,
is outrageous, don't worry. Something is On.
to drop, and if you have done your duty !,
will not hit you and the source will soon pa,,
away.
If I were to enlist for this war I wouli
study as never did while striving to pass a,
a schoolboy. There is a great dearth OF Of
GERS, good ones. There always is This /,
strikngly true of the present war. Peac
has not bred them. Peace never does. Wh.r
I our troops get into service there will com,
many chances to the men who have ft,e,
themselves for promotion. Why not be read,
to secure some of them? And let me say tina
being good officer is away ahead Of being
good private.
And now that you are in the game. WI,
not go in to win? The coward sometimes get
killed while the brave escape. Familiarit,
with danger and death soon rob death O.
half its terrors, and with the fear OF dealt
removed you will find that all other fear
have vanished. 1t is far better 10 die or
the field of battle than to live life OF feat
and slavery.
So, go into the service OF your country
determined to give the best there Is in you
and to get the best there is out Of it-nO,
in selfish, narrow sense, but in the biz
broad sense-and you will be surprised to find
how many good things come to you where
you expected so little.
Let this be your slogan: Give the bes.
and get the best"
c. J. GREENLEAF, GAR
/ Freeport, L. l., June II, 1917