Weekly journal-miner., 1918-01-23


 that maxim, "Thc less you know in
 the army the better off you are in Ihe army"
 Our meals are fine now We have rlcnty to eat, and it is we'll cooked, except now and then the cooks may
 burn something or spoil the bis
 cults, which is liable to happen to
 anyone. But, would you believe it, some of the men are always kicking at something. I have actually seen
 some of them sit down to the table,
 eat the heaping plates of what l would call very good grub, get up ! from the table with more than they could comfortably carry in their tum-
 mics, and go away cussing because i they don't get enough to cat. I can't ' figure such men out, but if I only had one guess coming, I would say this; they have better place to sleep, bet fer clothes to wear, more to eat, and are making more money than they ever made before and are dissatis- fled because they are getting along so we'll in the old world.
 There are ccntainly some freaks scattered around this camp and every company has its clown. We have ours in the person of ono Robert and when it comes to ready wit he doesn't take a back seat for any Of them. He will try any stunt once, regardless of the consequences, but , manages to get by with it some way. We have a certain horse at the barn that seems to take pride in unseat- ing everybody that tries to ride him. He has thrown several of the boys and has broken an arm of one of them. James doesn't known the first principle about horses, and jolingly we dared him to ride him. He was 'rst picking himself up when here cIme smart Lieutenant from the -Caisson, everybody knows him, and wanted horse right now. James came to a salute with d very serious face and said: "Very well, sir. I can cite you to good one already sad tled' and with that he hobbled off and led up the broncho The Lieu tenant didn't much more than get on until off he went right on his car
 We were standing there waiting to laugh, but "skcercd' to and thinking about what cussing James was in fer. but he had gone and was over at another stable cleaning a saddle. The Lieutenant never dropped to the fact that it was a put up job. This is just a sample of his many stunts and he manages to get by with all of thcn
 When I first came down here I was sure the war wouldn't last over two weeks because I have never been known to stick to the same job longer than two weeks. But now that it tcgins to look like long drawn out affair I am ambitious to be com r1Issioncd officer Maybe it isn't cx- actly ambition, but anyway I have reasons for wanting to be one, name ly: First and foremost I feel that every one should do his little but where 1t will do the most good and l feel that the army is greatly in need of good officers. Ahem.
 Second, their work is easier. That is, they have plenty to do but not so much drudgery and not so many losses. And then he has more priv ileges than the ordinary soldier. A civilian treatcs a commissioned officer almost like he was human.
 Third, because it pays more money and 1 would have that much more to pay to the government. You know fhe government has arranged things cry conveniently. \ man fighting in France and serving as commission cd officer would be able to pay at least S1460O per month for the privil- cge and by so doing would be sure to come back hero and candidate for State Senator.
 Fourth, and worthy of considera ton, you can hear all sorts of stories about what is going to happen to us n the next few months. Some Of them we pay no attention to as Camp Travis IS becoming famous because of the fertile imaginations that are springing up. Others, however, come f:Cm sources that we arc half entitled 70 believe. Any way you figure, noth ;ng is more certain than that the west contingent of the National Army will tc drafted and in these camps by 18th. Now they have to room for others and there arc only , things they can do; send us home or send us to France Now imagine me going to France on the 18th day of r. 4 [