The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-25
Camp Lee

Camp Lee. Va, July 24.--Whether
or not today is lull before the
grand rush Of incoming troops Is
not known, but only a few straglers
arrived yesterday in Camp Lee. not
much over ifty in all. Yet the re-
cruiting ONCE at building 2721 does
not seem to have slackened its con-
tinual hum for re-enlistmen are as
brisk as ever. While a large number
of recruits come from the new ar
rivals in camp, many also are men
! who have been discharged for some
time or men serving with permanent
local organizations. In nearly all
I cases these men who come
/ back do so because they did not
know all the advantages the service
had to offer when they were dis.
| charged, due mostly TO their hurry
! and excitement at the thought of be-
ing discharged and going to their
| homes and neglecting to read up on
the copious literature on the various
branches of the service that is pub
| lished and distributed from time to
time.
| Few. possibly. remember or know
| that there is absolutely no limit to
what a soldier can make of himself.
In most civil pursuits the possibilities
are limited more or less foi an en-
nloye that starts at the bottom owing
to the limited field of individual bust
| ness concerns. Not so in the army,
! for there is a place for every talent
/ or occupation somewhere in the mill
| tary establishment. 1t is less pos
sible for Jealous fellow workers to
| keep a good man down in the army
| than in any other establishment.
There is also one of the most valuable
advantages. that of sure pay. 1t is
worth while to have a position which
gives constant employment and con
slant opportunity for advancement no
matter what time of the year il may
be and no matter whether
it rains or freezes.
As an incentive to consider the
army seriously as a career for young
men we can draw on the personal
history of some OF the most pronni-
nent men in history, both the world
history and that of the country alone.
or in fact of the local section of it.
Napoleon began as recruit and was
in fact generally nicknamed the Lit
tie Corporal" That is as far as we
; need to go back for numerous Others
. we'll versed in history. In order tc
bring this home let us merely con-
slider some of the most prominent men
in this country. now living. Among
host OF them we may we'll mention
the chief of staff of the Eightieth
division. Colonel Waldron, we'll known
in this part of the country. Colonel
Waldron was a private in the Spanish
American war. He was later com
missioned in the regular army and
since the great war began he rose
from captain to colonel. While only
mentioning by name one of the best
locally known prominent men who
have made the army their career
from to z. and begun as privates
, hundreds could be pointed out toe
many to enumerate here, suffice it tc
lsay that the man who enters the ser
vice and sticks to, does his duty and
tries always to be a good soldier, can
not help but make a success Of his
life If he has average intelligence and
some ambition in his makeup
While it is impossible to go into de.
tail In explaining each separate road
to success open in the present day
army, every man who Is now in the
service has the opportunity to en-
ilghten himself as to what particular
part of the great machine he is best
ntted for Civilians and others can
get all information on the subject
from the recruiting Office at building
272l Camp Lee. Phone 123. 1t is
promptly and gladly furnished and
without cost. The grand total en-
listed to this date at Camp Lee ex-
ceeded 1900 last night which is a con-
slant tribute to the advantages offered
IN the army for young men Most
OF this number have re-enlisted after
seeing much of the darker side OF
the service and others have rejoined
after seeing both peace time and wal
service, knowing the worth of the
army as career from both view
points
While much talk is heard about the
proverbial army bean and slum. when
we come down to serious facts after
investigating for ourselves. the aver.
age company mess has the drop on the
average boarding house both for
variety and wholesomeness of food
Few soldiers would swap their mess
FOR boarding house table in a city
Civilians are invited to come around
and visit some OF the messhalls OF
the Sixty-second infantry stationed
at camp and compare them with the
boarding house or restaurant as Ia
cleanliness, plenty and quality OF the
food. and 1t is at this time rather
UNFAIR TO make the comparison for the
regiments that are in more permanent
posts surpass much those in tempo
rary quarters in the realm Of "eats".
The writer has visited several of the
messes In camp AZ we'll as elsewhere
In the army both before. during and
after the war, and in the A. E. r. as
ri