Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-02-27
DRAFT ARMY HIGH CLASS
selective Services Fills Ranks
With High Grade Men, Says
Major Fortescue.

GlP-
ments which make UP the new national
army. now in training at sixteen can
comments throughout the United States
Major Granville Fortescue, u. S. A.. in
communication to the National Geo
graphic Society, points out that the
selected men are, as a rule far oboye
the average in intelligence and expert
ence and educatio. of the class that
formerly drifted into the regular army.
and he advances the opinion that with
out any disparagement of the older
branch Of the army, the present re-
oru1t. brought into service under the
seiectlve law, will improve the tone
OF the whole service.
A portion of Major Fortescue's COM
munication is issued by the society as
the following war geography bulletin:
Pure American Blood at PETERSBURG.
Perhaps Camp Lee, and certainly
the 159th brigade, can claim in its en-
ilsted personnel the purest American
hiood OF any camp throughout the en-
TIRE country Most Of the rs Virginians
trace their lineage back to the DAYS Of
the colonies ard The ONLY notieeabla
strain that in a. few instances co1ors
the Anglo Saxon is a trace of the In
dian.
Should an Englishman read over
the localization order for this brigade
he might imagine it a call for his home
soldiers. Men from Middlesex. Surry,
and Kent are in one company, In an
other Westerland, Northumberland and
northampton have furnished quotas,
and scattered throughout the other
boftaloins pr" Sold rs from The coun-
ties of Lancaster, York, Warwick,
Bedford, Richmond Sussex, South
ampton, and Isle OF Wight. Company
roll-calls sound like a lesson in Eng
fish history Brunswick,
Cumberland Bath, and Halifax-or in
literature, for one company a squad
composed OF AGliscn, Arno Il, .7ohn
son and Meredith.
"one given to philosophizing would
have had much to reflect upon could
be have seen these descendants of the
first Royal Virginia colonists gathered
in hollow square around the division
headquarters flag on the anniversary
of the comroStior of the ma tonal an
them ind heard them sing the Star
Srang'ed' Banner" That ceremony
marked a cycle of civilization
But this camp is a true cross section
Of our country, and it would not be fair
te allow partially for our native stock
70 blind us to the qualities of the
Pennsylvania ma West Virginia min
ers who are selected for the other
units of the division.
The Story of the Sergeant Who
Sneezed.
These are the sentiments of the
melting pot The description is not
meant as a reflection on the quality of
The men. but rather for the aptitude of
the classification. Among them are
found Poles, Lithunians, Greeks, Sy-
fians, Italians, and even Austrians,
who have no place here all the con-
slomerate mass of humanity that dur
ins: the last decade has made it's way
to American shores Instead of the
old English names of Cox and Boggs
and Padgett that predominant in the
Virginia brigades the first sergeant
struggles with a list of polysyllabic
letter combinations usually ending in
witch" or ski" The report goes that
one first sergeant OF the Pennsylvania
company sneezed during his calling of
the roll and six men answered "Here!"
This may be soldiers hyperbole, but
the fact remains that in many in
stances the aid of an interpreter is
necessary in order to get through the
routine of daily work and drill.
But it is just these handicaps that
bring out the spirit and ingenuity of
the officers training the troops. Eng
lSn or, as some prefer to call our Idlon,
good American" is the only language
permitted, and with constant molding,
with that atmosphere of loyalty which
always surrounds military camp,
this heterogeI. eous element is gradual
ly being absorbed into the sinew of
the new army.
american history, patriotism, hon
or for the flag are partsof the daily in
struction OF the recruit. Some of the
officers have ordered the playing of
the Star Spangled Banner" on the
company gramophCnes to be daily
ceremony; and during this ceremony
the men stand with head uncovered at
attention.
Developing That Subtle Something
Morale.
"All this is by way off developing
that psychological asset, morale. 1t
will be news to the laymen to hear that
there is now a corps of psychologists
in the army who are to make a study
of the mental and spiritual side Of
the organization. Before the results
of their Investigation are available our