Weekly journal-miner., 1917-11-07

Texas, Oct. 2S-It is to sigh with re- lief The first two strenuous months of training in the officers reserve corps have passed, and the no men remaining in the First company (out of an original 175) now feel reaSonab- ly safe from the "Bcnzinc Board. In other words, the process of wccdlng ont the miShts has now about ended.
 The company gets down to work m deadly earnest again commencing to- morrow. Training in leading units in all sorts of attack and defense will be given the men. Hitherto, man called out of ranks 10 drill the company was what the major calls a ''blowcd up suckcr-a candidate for the bcnzinc board. All men, who, by reason ot their physique or mental and moral qualities were considered undcsIr- ablcs. have been given chances to command the company. It Is the ob- feet of the camp to disclose the lead crship hidden away in the civilian, and men who through low grades have been under suspicion, and have shown themselves able 10 boss com panv around in drill and mimic battle, have been retained.
 The procedure is something like this: Bill has been dull at confer cncc. He has looacd sloppy at re- treat. His attention at drill was poor. Bill got or the skin list" and had his name iotted down in the little black note book the major totes around. All right.
 The company is formed in line out on the drill ground. The major gives the command At Easc" and pulls out his little black book. Bill and everybody else whose conscience hurts him find it impossible to stand at ease. They think the major should have commanded, Brace Yourself"
 All the Bills feel a prickly sensation where they wear the havcrsack. The major thumbs through the book. The company wiggles on one foot and then on another. All try to loo6 as though the major just simply couldn't call out their names. Pretty soon, the suspense becomes terrible. The major looks up with faint near smile on his deeply tanned Philippine compicNion and says: MT. Jones company commander: Mr. Smith, commander of the first platoon; MT. Brown second platoon -, and SO on. until he has designated lead CTS and guides for the platoons.
 Take charge of the company.
 The brief order finds Jones out m front of the company. His first com mand must be to call the company to attcntion-onc of the hardest 10 en- unciatc in the whole category of com mands. The line looks mile long. Jones secs TOW Of faces. He doesn't recognize them as those of his Com- radcs They represent judges on the bench about to put on the black cap. Upon their response 10 his orders will depend whether he stays with the company or gets marked, from duty to discharge, acct military inaptl- tudc"
 Let us suppose that Jones is the average candidate. He collects hls wits carefully, determined 10 make that company step around lively. About that time, the instructor leans over and whispers in his car, Form column and march 'cm to the rear
 Now, if you had asked Jones to dc that in class, he would have answered pcrtly: Squads right. Column right. March,' Easy. But HOW the con- lnand won't come. The aforcmcn- tioncd wits aren't collected worth a darn. Jones sends out some mental scouts and begins 10 round tip his thoughts.
 Well, hurry up, We haven't got all day. There arc others (you wilt who have to command this company today Do Somcthing.'
 By HOW. ii Jones ever had sane thought, its gone. He eulps and squcakS out his command The rear rank snicIcrs-uulcss an instructor happens to be nigh.-and the company wobblc, through thc movement.
 Maybe Jones comes out of hi, trance when he sees something actu, ally happen at his command. Hi, face brightcns-hc is not so pale and ,haky. lie finds out what the instruc- tor wants him to do, and he takes g long breath, rclaNce the muscles oi his throat and below, out a command that would do for brigade. Every body feels relieved, Tor Jones is . fayoritc apd it seems that he has iuJld himself
 While nc i> mancuycrins the com pany. one o5 fhr officers is looking ..ro1rI for ;h, ba,,>t piece oi terrain vitIir thy reservation. Finding a hunk of land to his satisfaction, he re- turns and informs Jones that the enemy l. across there in large mum. bcrs. This company attacks at once What do vou do5"