The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-21
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

SOuiu uo WltnOuI pupllclly ana WoEe gun shy" when reporters came around, but that day is over and now the big business is anxious to take the public in its confidence.
 There use to be veil of secrecy thrown over the doings of the great governments, but when war broke, even conservative England found that the pest way to get volunteer army was to make what they call splash" in the papers, and so an advertising genius rose to the occasion and put it over in whirlwind finish.
 Uncle Sam was not going to be caught mapping and so when he got tired of the lnsolence of Emperor Bill he broke all records in his haste to inaugurate a net work of publicity bureaus which spider like spun webs covering the whole of the United States, until there wasn't a hamlet or village where his voice wasn't heard
 
 While many forms of publicity were used by the government, the main re- liance was through the printed page and every paper in the land was liter ally flooded with news sheets" about this or that activity until the waste baskets groaned in spite of the fact that the editors were most liberal in their use of the information furnish ed.
 But not satisfied with using the es- tablished papers, both the army and the navy journals or bulletins of their own to make a special appeal to the men in khaki. I have in hand a copy of 'The Recruiters Bulletin" published monthly in the interest of the recruit ing service of the United States Marine corps. and issued from New York city.
 It is 24 page monthly, printed on book paper, and profusely illustrated. Colonel Henry c. Davis, being the editor in chief. Its business is to put pep" into the Marine corps recruiters, and 1t stresses the fact that the ultimate object of publicity is to get recruits The acid test is how many novel stunts, or reading matter got into the papers, but how many signed for the navy.
 
 It's of little profit for a local recruit ing officer to see the marines played up heavy in the morning and afternoon papers unless his office is kept busy with men who are ready to join the service. The hip hurrah part of the game is easily staged, but like the life insurance agent, nothing really counts unless you get the signature on the dotted line. If this fails of accomplish ment something is wrong with the pub- licity.
 Before the war most of the public ity circulated by the Publicity Bureau had for it's object the enlightenment of the public. It was desired to let every one know that there was such an or ganization as the Marine corps, and to tell the public some thing of the mani fold duties of the organization. Dur ing the war the exploits of individual marines was sufficient to build up still more interest, for they thrilled those who heard OF read of them.
 But it wasn't necessary for the Ma rine corps to toot its own horn when the men were doing such heroic things at Belleau, Soissons, and other places. It was front page stuff and played up big by the war correspondents who were overseas. Peace conditions require the matter to be approached from an entirely different angle. The story of the awarding of the Croix de Guerre is interesting reading, but of little pre- sent compelling power to make a man enlist.
 The psychology of the situation has shifted, the Marine corps has glorious past and the world knows it, but isn't the average recruit more interested in the future than in the past of the or ganization which holds out it's hand to him and says come and be one of us. cruiters from 'harping on the possbili- ties which open out for the enlisted man in the future, The history of the four years past is a famous heritage.
 
 Stars and Stripes sings:
 The Marines at Chateau Thierry
 Is an old romatic tale
 That we've heard so much from
 That it's getting rather stale. But when Le Mans was targeted
 And the soldiers shot for fame The Marines walked off with prizes
 With new ruffles on their name.
 
 What John Jones wants to know, is how is the "chow" and how often do we eat? How many hours of the day do I drill, and how many have to do as I please. When my work is done what are you going to do for amusement? What are my chances for improvement, and will the Marine corps benefit me so that after I have seen the world and am discharged, will I be better fitted to get out and make a living?"
 Its a mighty personal thing.
 Does fellow really get a chance to travel? Here is the proof:
 After a trip of nearly S0,000 miles that carried him to vladivostok and other points in the far east as a special messenger of the United States Navy, Billy" Berwick. soldier, sailor and Ma rine. is back in Minneapolis.
 His long trip took him from Wash ington. D. C.. to the flagship Brooklyn, on duty at vladivostok where he placed in the hands of naval officers the valu- able documents the government had en- trusted to him. The Brooklyn is the old cruiser that was the flagship of 4 l C4h of hn