Evening star., 1920-02-09
OFFERS 2 PRIZES
FOR ARMY ESSAYS
Star Cooperating in "What
Are Benefits of Enlist
ment?" Contest.

( The Star offers twenty-five prize:
asgregating 5000. exclusively to Dis
trict participants, in the national es
say contest among school children
writing on the subject What Are
the Benefits of an Enlistment in the
United States Army" The contest
is being conducted by the Come -Back k
weekly journal of the soldiers a
Walter Reed Hospital. in cooperation
with the War Department.
Seven of The Evening Star prizes
viii go to the authors of those es-
says adjudged the best written in the
public high schools. one prize will be
given to the author Of the best essay
written in each Of the twelve schoo
divisions. Three prizes Will go to
parochial school contestants, includ-
ing academies and colleges. where
school age.
fifty-SiN Essays in Final.
IN the nationwide contest each of
the fifty-SiX recruiting districts will
send to the War Department the es
say adjudsed the best by local judges.
The authors of the three essays con-
S:dered the best of the Gfty-six sub
n,tted VIII receive each 4 gold media |.
The school which each represents will
receive a big silver loving cup.
Decisions regarding the merits OF
the essays will be made in Washing
ton under direction of tta War De
Dartnent April -. Prizes will be
awarded May $. with Secretary Of
War Baker. Gen. Pershing and Gen.
March officiating. Winners will come
to the National Capital. with all eN-
penses paid. as guests of the Come
Back.
TIL" members of the military affairs
committee of the Senate are deeply
interested in the contest.
Senator's Praise Contest.
Senator Wadsworth. chairman of
the committee, sounds a new note in
4 recent letter to the Contest Editor
in which contestants may find a Sug-
sestion. He writes that Unless l am
mistaken. new day has dawned in
the administration Of the Army. 1t
is no longer to be barrack square
squad left and right affair but an in
stitution which will teach the men
how to defend their country and also
give them an education and training
which Will fit them to be better citi
ZenS when they return to civil life.
In other words. il will be useful in
peace as we'll as in the war
Senator Sutherland. one of the rank
ing members of the committee, has
written:
II believe it is a splendid thing to
stimulate the school children of the
country in essay writing. and espe-
cia1ly since these essays will be upon
subject of SO much national con-
cern.
1T is highly important that our
Young men and young women begin
to think of our country in terms of
the service they may render it,"
Senator Warren. a member of the
committee and chairman of the ap-
propriatiors committee. in indorsing
the contest. adds that he will be
deeply interested in seeing the results
of it.
Senator Spencer of Missouri has
written that the Inauguration of the
essay contest lis a real step in the
development of Americanism in our
country and 1 have every good wish
for it's sccesS.'
Previously Senator Chamberlain,
one of the most active members of
the committee. has given the contest
his unqualified approval.
Attracts Wide Attention.
Few essay contests in recent years
have attracted the widespread atten-
ton this one has. Several reasons
might be assigned for this-the i'm
portance of the subject, the great
ing the country and the influence of
the recent. war. -
Interest is not confined, however, to
members of the military affairs COM
mittee and administrative officers of
the government. School children all
over the country have written to the
editor of the Come Back to get more
detailed information on the contest.
One little girl in Washington. when
the contest was first announced. wrote
asking for further particulars and
closed her letter with the assurance
that ''as essay contests come so
seldom. here, you may be sure that we
all are deeply interested in this one
and are planning to take part