The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-05-14
At Present Rate of Enlistment
the 254,O Personnel Will
Soon Be Filled.
SOLDIERS NOW LEARN TRADES
Military Organization Becoming Vast
Trade Schooi-"Earn While You
Learn" 10 PopuIar-New Re-
cruitinq Policy.

Washington.-Surmou the in
roads Of rehabilitation, the recruiting
campaign begun early this year has
brought the total strength of the reg
ular army to within 81. 1000 of the 254,-
600 personnel aut orized under the ma
! tional defense act of 1916. according
to latest war department figures. If
| the present rate of enlistment is main
| tanned throughout the year. and nearly
5000 men are being accepted week
| ly. it will more than balance losses
| through expired enlistments. furlough
to the reserve and other causes.
Most of these enlistments, recruiting
officers report, are by men anxious to
take advantage of the armys voca-
tional education. an learn while you
learn" system, to fit soldier for
trade by the time he leaves the army.
Last year $4,000 men were accepted
who never before had been In the
service. Nearly half of the enlisted
men are going to school. and the army
is becoming not a university in kha-
XII" but vast military trade school.
Much of the instruction in technical
subjects is given not by officers, but,
~ civilian teachers. lent to the army
in many cases by corporations desir
Gus of employing trained men at the
expiration of their enlistment. The
war department has received communi-
cations from concerns who have sent
unframed applicants for employment
to the army for yVr's enlistment
and trade instruction with promises of
&c ut h1 oF
Farmers musicians. stenographers,
masons, bookkeepers. pharmacists. me-
chanics of all kinds. wireless and tele-
graph operators, printers, gas engine
experts. even emhalmers, are among
the vocatiOns taught. In large canton
ments barracks are being transform d
into machine shops. laboratories and
school rooms. AZ Camp Dodge. Ia.
where the Fourth division is stationed,
there is a 2OO-acre farm where army
students do practical work in agricul-
ture and stock raising under the d.
rection of Dean c. B. Waldron OF the
North Dakota agricultural college.
A committee from the Chicago
Church federation visited Camp Grant.
Illinois, the home of the Sixth divi-
S1On-fne SlgntScelng S1xtn. rs It's
members in France called their divi-
sion. which liked from one sector TO
another without getting into action.
The committee inspected the divisions
schools and returned TO Chicago. re-
porting. 'the aim of those who have
this work in charge is TO train men
so effectively that at the end Of their
three years In the army they cannot
afford to re-enlist"
Teaching Pharmacy to Men.
At Camp Pike. Ark. fhe home
station. of the Third division. which
won its spurs at the Marine. building |
has been erected to house the school
of chemistry. Training in the dispens- |
ing and manufacture of drugs will be /
given. also instruction in the use Of |
the microscope for the detection of Inn
purities in drugs. Students who show /
the necessary proficiency will be Civ |
en- special tutoring for the examina- /
tons Of the Arkansas state hoard.
Formerly. to learn a trade in the
army. man had TO be assigned to
the ordnance or signal corps. the air /
service or motor transport corps. Sob
diers In such combat branches Of the 1
service as the infantry had few OPP