The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-04-12

In letter to friends In this city,
Donald II. Harper, who Is in the 18th
Co., 4th Training Battalion. 15Sth De.
pot Brigade at Camp Sherman. Chill
licothe, o., tells what the spirit of the
selects who go to camp through the
selective service act is-just dig in
and work to defeat tho Prussian au
tocracy The letter follows
'"ro0 many people back home pos.
sess an altogether mistaken impress
sion of the men in the national army
form OF viewing these men as drawn
into the service against their will,
sort OF slackers, as II were.
This is the most colossal blunder
or judgment an individual could
make, contradictory to fact and con.
dition. After II week in camp, il IL
easy to pick out the men who feel ma.
tional service an imposition. They
dilly-dally at their tasks, dodge cv-
erything possible on one preteXt or
another and constantly talk of being
transferred to some other branch of
the service.
''I am proud to say that not
single one Of the Knox county
boys is of this ilk All have
shown an eagerness to do what
was asked of them and to do it
WELL. They naturally have their
preferences as to service branch,
but do not bore an outsider with
their talk.
1T Is recognized in the brigade that
the men in this barracks-KnoX and
Licking counties-are superior to any
other new aggregation in drill.worls
as well as in the duties of fatigue.
There are several men in our num-
ber who are married and who waived
all exemption claims There are 9th.
ers who held good positions in civil
life and who left them only when
called rather than to leap in at the
first and volunteer. The morale of
the men is splendid. all realizing the
task ahead and the importance of
their individual effort.
Nearly every known occupation
il represented in this barracks. A
personnel census taken the other
evening on the first floor where 40
men are quartercd, revealed that %
occupations were involved. There is
Arthur Hopper, who has travelled ov.
er all the world with the exception OF
South Africa with circuses and wild
west shows. Before entering the
army, he was assistant advance su
perintendent OF the John Robinson
Show Then there is Ralph (Bones)
Davis who last week closed Il Keith
circuit contract in Kansas City. lie
is the life of the crowd, possessing
great natural wit. There are two
school superintendent and two other
school teachers. There are machin
its, tailor, Ferris wheel operator
two printers, four farmers-in fact
the enumeration seems almost end
less.
Hiram Jacob Rinc, Il Knox county
select who carried the star rura
route between Utica and Bladens
burg, has been made company mail
man. George Eagle has returned from
the base hospital feeling fit enough tt
smash Prussianism into bits Sever
al OF the boys have light attacks o.
grip, but these cases receive speed,
attention from an efficient force o
physicians.
Strawberry shOrtcake, with lus
cious, tasty berries, was served thi:
noon as dessert. The balance of tht
meal was excellent. There is more
than enough to eat and the cooking
is splendid Saturday morning, there
was inspection of quarters and, fol
lowing this, every cot was moved out
doors and the barracks scrubbed
clean. This is weekly event TIL,
care and attention which men in th
army receive would be a great CON
lOfl W al IL 'ou''
only SEQ and appreciate it.
ut Is Il great. great life in thi
army and the stupendosity of every
thing is extremely impressive. An,
young man who goes through the wa
without touch of this life is miss
ing one of the greatest opportunitie
of his life as any of the twenty Kno
county selects here can honestl