Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1918-02-28
The Captain And Ills
Men


A regular army captain, Of long ar
perienes In Uncle Sans service, has
written for 'Srhe Tribune the follow
ing, which Is addressed 70 parents and
close frfends Of the boys who have
gone TO war. The subjecs Is "a Cap
tain. And His Company" He says
Asa captain believe that ! have
the most responsible position in the
army. The company is the smallest
unit over which . commanders exercises
executlye aud disciplinary authority.
II the companies are right the regiment
IL right; when the regiments are right
.hs brieades and divisions are bound
to be right.
As captain I am In closer touch
with the men than any other oiicer
possibly can be. Ny lIeutenants can
only carry out my policies. They
have no right 70 reward or punish-in
fact they are q greater distance from
thu men than I am. an responsible
for the food they eat. for the clothes
they wear, for shs shelter they have,
for their physical condition, their
menial and moral viewpoint. For, In
short, that one thing that spells so
much, their morale ] cannot dele
gate this authority 20 any one else.
Gas captain Is, 70 Is bis company, !"
" sn axiom.
So / want 70 say through The Tri-
bans = word 70 Tho parents, wires,
swseehearis and friends OF my men,
speaking In q general way for all real
Icapsasns, who realize that they are
Imore than mere uniiormed order CIV
Iars. FIRST 81 all, don't waste any
sympathy on them over their hard LOT.
A real man reseuss e. and none Of
lAesn need Il. Thsg are we'll fed, well
leloshsd, and IS happy as they choose
70 make themselves. They do mol
want 10 be babiedv but do like 70 b
petsed and made sauch Of,
ffyou have troubles at home, keeT
them 10 yourselves, and don't lei your
soldier boys know about them. II yot
Hose money or the business goes
wrong. don't tell him. BE canfio'
lheEp you gst u right. Il scnebodJ
| sick, minimize u. They will probably
/ Is wsli BY ths Tins yon gcs AZ anssel
IbAek. In he nseana1hp you hav'
Ishfosn one Of my usn oh Of his stridl
/ kna he tells me Of bis tfoAbles aud yo'
s a = N, ssss.--s.,s 49,
Fness,ta ~ hsrr, IN ths niorA~as sns1
= 800 undersalsen. cail hs.N iii III
- s.,u want. Tssl him whSn b. go6
-. 49, ~. :, & - Is - fhlnk Of yo
~ k.Isa s nonun hcsss. 81
1|&ss -. s = osor. ana a'lia ]
=, sAks tl.s s.s.m passsl,le enas I
u.a.sll ~ Il saver III aln6h.
~, 49,. "a n hnasa u
800 Ykat - Is iskfa ana at vi
szssr 80 him % 20 and do Il. b
100000 On anfI 4 Win shnu yonhem
1 iii srv 10 keep wlsisksy and immo
.a,tv ammv frosn him. / viii knu
whsrn ~ Issevsry hour OF ne day
nsght ii os,ser words. I viii tAl
i lsssas care 81 hln shan you ala Vii
!. hs as a ho,ne. we hare no pos
& zA..@ 4,2s enen the war 4 oy,
Ne will come back 10 you real ma
and o. how proud you viii DO Of him
Above everything else. write % htf
y Write every dag, ifit ID only ! lin
NsysF mind wAesher he answers or 10
We cannot always write. We have
l 20 he limits OF human endurau.
sosnetimas. the tired body needs rs
and food and sleep worse than 20
laced lssser. The majority 81 ns Il
IeoniHR back. bus II We do not. a. on
of my men put IL, sswho cares, :, not
. spirit Of brayado or defiance, but o
tlie theory that sseyery ballet has ii
; bllles.v and until I Get mine I am &c
Ing 70 do my best 10 do my Bit az
|, learry on 10 the end. Il
III Send cigars, pipes. tobacco, cigar
sizes, swes'A q -. kshos. livery pach
80 ySN 800 = 1's.us " win o
$500 ~ nos on,y eslp nlm, ou
$500, so1le ons WIG nss Nc Iolks
1880 = , ..nc n,n Any'nlng. One 9
~ nos' p.s'lul sle1's nave g iae'
. y 3 ~ 'ne man Ply w''nous family Q
no.as nnsn lus maj = alssr a,' q
49, .ooAs ~ = sns seli, Inc mai
ofass's y ness nan' YOU 70 neil
aim 80 yonr poy 7 mere = snch :
ol's = his squAo' Ssna nim line q