Trench and camp. ([Admiral, Md.) 1917-1919, 1918-10-03
"7T1E CAMP GORDON PLAN

haenst heard IRON them. How wlll
thev liver WIN they starve while
ne e af var? And be has heard cer"
taim OF his comrades tank about tAis
thing called pAciAGm and c0nscien-
tious oh1ector-aMd they nave soiu
him that il win b the means or get
ting him out Of the array 20 NO can
return to his wife and child.
Allotment Explained
Then the Lieutenant smiles-an-
couragingiy. conAdently-and taxes
him by the elbow.
Listen, my FRIEND" he says.
THAT IL because you do not know:
Haven't You heard yet that" And
quickly, but in detail. he explains
how Uncle Sam will care for ala vile
and child while he In ct war-how Q
mart OF his monthly pay viii De- de.
Quoted and an equal amount addea
hy the Government, and then the
whole sent to the good wife. he
tells him all about the allowance ana
allotment plan, and about Govern
ment insurance and the various otnef
WAYS by which the wife and child
viii DO helped along by civilian or
CARNATIONS.
Result-another good soldier for
Uncle Sam, satisfied, relieved OF MS
worry, eager 10 serve.
Next" cries the Lieutenant.
And 80 it goes.
The above il bat one instance.
They are legion, a. are the issues IN
volved.
Here a man 10 unruly because ne
doesn't want to drill and pretAnds to
he suffering with rheumatism. All
right: then he stands at attention In
the san for two hours-and ne ~
soon cured. II real. his complaint
ia given careful treatment ana no II
not asked to drill until At to do so.
There another In unwilling solely
because he does not understand WAY
he Is to be made o soldier-actuaIy
does not know why we are at war.
The oficer explains It all to him. now
he was fairly selected In the dralt.
how he will be well treated BY Uncle
Sam, how he now has an opportunity
to prove himself worthy Of his an
cestors. to avenge the wrongs per-
petrated upon them In the past. to
play the part OF an honored citizen
Of the new land Of his adoption. And
the man goes ont . better man than
when he came in-and q willing SOL
der of the United States.
In general, most Of the objections
to service are due to lack Of knowl-
edge of the English language. Sew
enty-five per cent Of the men, though
In camps since last fall, had up to
short while ago. neither learned Eng
lish nor the rudiments of being sol
der. But their troubles and COM
plants dissolve almost as the pro-
verbal morning mists once they have
an opportunity to talk with an officer
who can explain broad American prin-
ciples and answer their questions.
This classification at Camp Gordon
resulted in the formation OF three
groups, as follows:
l. Development Battalion, COM
posed of all physically fit men.
2. Labor Battalion, comprising the
really disloyal and enemy aliens.
3. Newfoundland Service, COM
posed of the physically unfit for over
seas service, bat proficient In some
trade.
Straightway the physically fit were
assigned to what was known as the
Second Development Battalion and
two companies were formed, one COM
posed of Slavs (the majority OF them
Poles) and the other a company OF
pure-blooded Italians; and each COM
pany averaged, including men and
officers, 25S In personnel. Three of
ficers were secured of Polish extrac-
ton and one Of Russian for the Slav
company, and two officers of Italian
extraction for the Italian company,
so that the men might be instructed
in their native tongues. One oficer
OF Greek extraction was also obtained
to handle the Greeks.
T Enthusiasm Supplants Discomfort
The first week was devoted to lee
turing on discipline and the Articles
of war and to preliminary military
training. Straightway fifty per cent
of the discomfort disappeared and
real enthusiasm was evident.
And presently, too, another factor
became apparent, q most desirable
factor. For example, said ONE OF the
soldiers in the Slav company to one
of the soldiers from the Italian COM
pany: "You Italians aren't real sol
diers. We are!"
The Italians eyes narrowed to gim-
let points. "Sapristi! Is that 80.
Well you Just watch US drill! You
Slavs can't even march,"
And that started the ball rolling.
Each company tried to outdrill the
Dnsu14 hoAh commands davNlonAd