Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-09-29

adjusted. Each man. was classified
as to his nationality, loyalty. intellect,
citizenship. and fitness for military
service.
For example, the officer would
find a man who was~ unwilling solely
because he did not understand why
he was TO be made Il soldier In fact,
did not know why We were at war.
The officer would explain II all 20
| him, how he had been fairly selected
In the draft, how ne was 10 be well
treated by Uncle Sam, how he now
had an opportunity TO prove himself
worthy OF his ancestors, 10 aycnEc
tho wrongs perpetrated upon them In
tho past, TO play the part or an hon.
ored citizen OF the new land OF his
adoption. Usually the man went out
a moro thoughtful man than when he
came inr-and willing soldier Of the
| tnliud States.
or, again. no found a man who
! didn't want TO drill and pretended TO
| bo suffering with rheumatism. II
| real, his complaint was given proper
attention. lf not he was asked to
/ driIl Until fit to do so.
Tho first week was devoted TO Ice
| turing on discipline and tho articles
| or var and to preliminary training,
blrdiBhtway so per cent OF tho dis
\ content disappeared, and real en-
thusiasn was evident.
Competition Between Rnttnlions.
And presently. too, another factor
b"'ilnO apparent, a most desirah bic
| tac'Or. For example, said one Of the
soldiers in the Slay company to one
! OF the soldiers from tho Italian COM
/ hNnn II11tlpg
dicrs. we are"
| The Italians eyes narrowed to glm
let points. "Sapristi! II that so, Well
you Just watch Us drlll! You Slays
can't even march"'
And that started tho ball rolling
| Each company tried to uut-drilI the
other Tn" result vas hat both
I companies developed faster than the
IHVcrhg" American company OF re-
CruitH would develop normally and
| the Infection spread throughout all
tho foreign speaking soldiers in
camp!
An Important element Of the Camp
Gordon plan Is tho social life Il pro-
vldcs for the different racial groups.
They have their schools" where
they are painstakingly taught, first
the English alphabet, then words.
then sentences. The instructors are
usually commissioned Officers
who speak their own language and
good English too. They have their
movies their books. 'and their meet
ings In the Y NJ. g. 4. and X of e.
huts And tho officers carefully eX-
plain to them how Uncle sam viii
care for their families while they are
at war; how "A part Of their monthly
pay iS deducted and an equal amount
added by the government. They are
also told about the Red Cross and
other civilian organizations.
To describe every step in this large
schemo-to tell how other units were
formed and are still befRg formed
would make too long story. But the
results at least prove the correct
ness OF the first steps After four
weeks Of intensive training. the COM
ThnIes OF this second development
battalion. at Camp Gordon, w'hre re-
viewed In close order drill by the
commanding general OF the camp
and his staff, who were highly
pleased at the showing
A few days later these same COM
panies were inspected by an officer
OF the general staff from Washing
ton who. after expressing himself as
impressed by their work, lined up the !
Slav company and asked: "How
many OF you men are ready to go
abroad Immediately? Those who are.
step forward two PAGES" In re-
sponse. % per cent OF the Slavs. who
n short time before, had not been
looked upon as overseas material, |
stepped forward with spirit and en-
thusiasm.
A little while later three hundred |
men were selected from this second |
development battalion and recon-
monded to be sent 10 replacement
regiments as tit for overseas service
as a unit!
Plan 10 BE Tried In Othcr Camps. !
Yet there IL nothing magical about |
IL. II Is just plain common sense. |
And II meets the approval OF the for !
mer nom -English-speaking soldier |
himself. It can be done at any camp
in the country--and will be done |
wherever necessary. Already II is |
operating In several other camps |
and each time more successfully than
before.
Presently long lines OF soldier
graduates OF the Camp Gordon !
plan"--no longer entirely non Eng |
lish- speaking, no longer aliens--will |
be marching from the camp to the |
train. to the boat, to the battlefield,
conscious OF the best traditions CT |
their native lands and firmly con-
vinced Of the justice OF tho cause OF |
the land OF their adoption, tit and |
eager to fight her battles and there
by save all humanity from tho |
scourge OF q race gone mad with the
dust for world conquest. Truly. the
soldier OF foreign extraction is to he
an iniportant part OF PerShing'S Cru