Evening star., 1917-10-01
Two Kinds of Playing.

The fact IS that the American knows
how to play as well as any one in the
world. Catch an individual and he will
load YOU up with dope ON all sorts or
sports from base hall to poker with the
deuces wild. But he does not know
how the English soldier plays between
battles. and that is what the British
officers are here to show him. Later
he viii work out his own way Of
playing. Just IS he is working out his
owu theory of fighting. At present a
line on how the other fellow plays and
fights is sure 20 be beneficial
We take our chaps on cross-coun
TRY runs-ab-and they play foot ball
and all that sort of thing" said one
of the instructors.
At first blush that sounds rather hor-
rifying to the newcomer. The Ameri-
can soldier has been worked from eight
TO twelve hours n day and worked hard
ever since he reached France. When
he is not marching under a pack that
weighs from thirty-ttve to ffty-eieht
pounds he is playing at jackstraws
with an eleven-poUnd gun. The spec
tator is apt to think that what he needs
more than anything else is Two or
three days off in bed, Just to rest up.
A cross-country run sounds like the
poorest sort of diversion for these
youngsters. In fact it is one of the
best.
The men have been put in such per
feet physical condition, thanks to hard
cellent care. that they bulge all over
with new muscles. The boy who could
not catch car in the states can trot
a mile under pack now and not breathe
too hard, Their new strength makes
them restless and fidscty. One idle
day would be welcome. Two idle days
would coax them into mischief
Play Will be 4 mental relief. too.
They have not needed it up to the
present. They have been worked too
hard. At night most of them have
been quite content to discuss a plate
full of meat and beans and then crawl
into the blankets. One principal duty
of their officers has been to get them
into perfect physical condition. The
process has dulled them mentally for
the time being. Their officers observed
that they did not assimilate their in
structions readily during this training
process Each man passed through a
period in which he learned slowly
British Teaching Our Boys.
That has passed now, so that the
men can toss off their eight hours
work a day and be mentally alert at
the end. Their minds became active.
They needed amusement. The British
instructors will tell the American Of
ficers what they do in their own camps.
The Americans will make what adap-
tation they please of the British sys-
TEN. 1t must be borne in mind that
y
of fighting the Americans are not being
rigidly drilled in the ia ashton of any
other nation. The French and English
are only showing cur men how thev
I do it. Then we will take what seems
good to US from each.
The British are fond of soccer. and
that will likely be introduced in our
army. Cross-country running will be
adopted. as well as jumping and box
ing. Before long there will be field
meets in every organization at which
the best athletes will compete. Anna
teur theatricals and "sing-songs" will
be a part of the general program.
Bayonet matches and hand grenade
/ throwing will be on every bill.
Until we go into the trenches this
Will be welcome break in the inevi-
table monotony of camp life and hard
training The day will come when our
men VIII go into the front line to do
! their part Then athletic contests will
be one Of the many things that make
"repos" SO welcome.