The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-06-20
COOD SO[DlER IS
MADE, NOT BORN,
TESTS REvElE.
Arduous Task 10 Break New
Recruits In.

FORT WORTH. Texas "A god ssi.
dier Is made. not born, They used 70
think the best soldiers we're barn with
the fire of military genius; lacking
which II was impossible to make him
into the best quality Of war material.
hut In Camp Bowie IS well ~ the 9th.
er government camps where natSoMaI
army men arc being received, The wcss
Of making soldiers is'progressing da@jys
much more successfully than snyons
believed possible,
hut before the draft men Get 10 y
the perfect fighting machine that the
United States needs, he has much 70
learn and much to unlearn.
There are nearly 100 steps necessary
before he dons the khaki and BY the
time he Ia ready to pin tho U. 3. on
his army shirt the army recruit has
right TO be bewildered.
Here's Few steps.
The eighteen biggest steps, all hav-
ing subdivisions, from time the soi-
der Is ready to register until he 10 .
useful part OF the army, have been ous.
lined by Captain W. b. ,Pinnsy com
nAndlng the detention camp here. Thsy
are, registration, drawing Of nurnbsr,
physical examination, acceptance, not'.
lcaton OF service, Induction and pa
pers Journey TO -cantonment repovtim1
tot duty, registration again, aoquisassa
Of bedding. assignment examination.
thia time by army surgeons. mental
tests, personnel and Insurance burcaus
registration, drill In temporary com
pany, assignment TO permanent orssH..
iraiion and beginning Of squad end
company drills.
The first thing the recruit does on
reaching the camp is to 90 to head.
quarters for registration. Here mere
are numerou, clerks who take the nsw
man. name and examine his papers
No ono attempts 10 Joke with thsee
quiet, hardwoyking clerks to whom oil
recruit. look alike and who send the
arrival with all speed to the outfiNing
office, II the recruit decides 10 vssie
little with the sergeant In charge
and ie, him know how things ere -
iny back In Kansas OF Illinois or Mich
isan or wherever his home may be, 10
changes his mind PROMPTLY when the
sergeant cuts him OF. The only thing
| the sergeant care. about IL 10 stast ths
recruit of with his cot, blankets, n,sss
kit. etc, 10 the shortest possible tssae'
It the arrival has heretofore bssn %
fortunate a. always to have some ons
carry his bundles for him. he starts
getting II right away for he must car
: ry his whole outfit including his suit
case and al iron case Ia no toy.
| Physical Tssts. s...
| A giant OF an athlete Is being ex'
amined along side Of little fellow with
,unken chest "Thcv'll throw the little
fellow out" an observer hazards. but
the surgeon finds the big fellow has q
weak heart. That flat.chested man
gets through. There's nothing w caa
do for the big fellow" says the Sur
geon, "but we sure can make the littk
fellows chest bulge out altar We have
had him 4 month"
After the examination, the new sc''
dicr is asked as TO his age, religion
occupation, salary, with on occasional
question interspersed that seems rldic-
ulous to the recruit, II the questions
seem foolish TO him, he Is safe for the
physicians arc alert to see he ID
ia bright enough to see their absurdity
and Judge from the answers - 10 The
conditions OF the candidates mind.
"How would you like to get mar.
ried, now" the examiner asks bright
boy.
Married." laughed the boy. MAR
ried on $50 q month. You don't know
Nellie like ] do"
He was passed s safe and sase. II
he had started TO argue that he Intend
ed to marry Just as soon a. he could
and added other inconsistent. remaslRs
/, would have been initiated agsiust
his record for mental alsstnesa