Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-08-23
OFFICER IN CHARGE
Of RECRUIT TRAIN
LAUDS LIFE IN ARMY
CAPT. HARRISON. COMMANDER
OF CARAVAN WHICH SPENT
THREE DAYS HERE, SAYS UNI.
vERSlTY IN KHAKI" is OPEN TO
ALL YOUNG MEN.

Predicting that the United States
army would soon become known as
the university in khaki Capt. John
r. Harrison in command Of the re-
cruiting train which spent the past
two days IN Ottawa, painted rosy
picture OF future life with the color,
in an interview given a representative
Of the Free TraderJournal. The state.
ment was made by the captain Just
before the lorries and their escort :
were put under way for three day
sojourn at La Sale.
The soldiers, tWenty.one in number,
arrived here Thursday at noon an /
encamped in Allen Park. where the
caravan exacted large amount Of in,
tereSt from the people OF Ottawa II .
captain brought ont some interesting
sideliehts in army life, saying:
u have frequently heard old-limers
in the past few months saying tina.
the old army is gone Well. | for one
can say that to certain degree | am
glad Of 1t. For the new army that is
rising from the nucleus Of the old
Will, once it gets going good be far
better army For the future army viii
not only turn out good soldiers, bet
viii also send men back to civil life
"a ia aH
broader physically and mentally. and
in all respects big asset TO the com
munly that absorbs them. We VIII
be making not only soldiers but citi
zens of the very highest type.
Compare the army Of today with
the odtime army of two or three com.
pany posts on the western frOnticr
To-day with the assistance given the
army by the American Red Cross, Sal,
walton Army. X. of C.. Y. NJ c. A. an
kindred organizations, the man in the
service has plenty Of good, clean
sports with the best of apparatus. an
good grounds. etc The libraries, read.
ing rooms, shower baths, modern quar-
tiers, good food and good clothin1.
with the best of medical and dental
attendance. are all in all develop.
ments of the new volunteer army Tie
very cheap life insurance given TO the
men in the army Is bur another OK.
ample of what is being done for the
enlisted men
And with all of this the army is
increasing in military efficiency. Tho
recent great European war proved tins
when America beat the suppoSedlv
greatest military power of the word
to the queens taste Another thing Is
the increased pay. With a base pay
of $50 per month and running up to.
t24 so per month the man in the
army is actually better of than the
man on the outside-that is. when
you stop to consider the high cost of
living. which includes room and board .
at $40 per month, clothes al $40 per
month, medical and dental bills at s.
per month, and the incidentals which
amount to about sl2 per month. If
the man on the street desires recrea-
ton or amusement in any form It's
sInply "A case OF dig, dig. dig.
Whereas the enlisted man is fur.
nished recreation and amusement
free. To my notion, however. the
great Improvement in the army is the
progress along educational lines. and
the vocational training being taught
In the army posts throughout the en-.
tire country Take the NJ. T. G.. TOR
After some months of study
by VI. 7 c. officers definite steps have
been taken which have resulted IN
the opening of shops in connection
with the motor transport corps for the
intensive training OF men who qualify
for enlistment in that branch. There
are over forty different trades 10 Sc
ect from.
The pay in the NJ, T G.. from pri
'ate at $50 per month up to quarter.
master sergeant, senior grade. The
amps are located at the following
places
Camp Holabird, Baltimore. Md;
amp Jessup. Atlanta, Ga. Camp
3oyd FL Paso. Texas: Camp Nor.
noyle. San Antonio, Texas; Camp
irant, Illinois !
''rhe army oF today has become n
university in khaki and an
dea OF the scope OF its educational
'lan is suggested in the fact that ,
choOlS operated by the air sn,vico
re training men Ia forty-one skilled
rades, that the enlisted specialis,,. .
chool G. A. c. Is instructng men in :,
II branches Of electrical engineering. ;,
cables, dynamos. motors !,
to-; that the army school for bakers
nd cooks is teaching men their pa. :,
cular trade, that the infantry. the r.
avalry, the field artillery. the corps
engineers. the signal corps the ora.
ance corps, and the 1uartermaster II
Drps all offer courses in highly spe =,
laliZed trades