Evening star., 1920-02-19
CHILDREN TO WRITE
ESSAYS TOMORROW
$4,000 Local Pupils Expect.
ed to Enter Contest; Mr..
Baker Defends Plan.

Tomorrow is the day when millions
of school children in all parts of the
country will write each 40O-word
essay, in classrooms. on the subject.
What Are the Benefits of an Enlist
ment in the United States Army" 1t
is a red-letter day in the national
essay contest being conducted by the
Come Back, weekly journal of the SOL
diers at Walter Reed Hospital. in CO.
About 1900 local boys and girls are
expected to participate.
The Evening Star will give twenty
two prizes, aggregating $500. exclusive
ly to District participants in the con-
test. Seven of these will 20 to the
public high schools. One each will go
to the twelve school divisions. Three
will be distributed among parochial
and private schools, including junior
colleges and academies where pupils
are not over high school age.
Mr.. Baker Defends Plan.
Secretary of War Baker today vigor-
ouSly defended the plan OF the Come
Back to conduct the contest.
The Secretary defense was made in
the form of a letter to Mrs. Georgia
Conant. Winfield. Kan. declaring: that
the contest Will not in any way incul-
cate militarism or further it among
the millions of school children through
out the country.
Extract From Mr.. Bakers Letter.
"A practical, working knowledge of
our new peace time Army is essential
for every school child" Mr.. Baker said.
We are all opposed to militarism. but
we must face the stern reality of facts.
Peace, we regret to acknowledge, is not
today supreme in the world. The
sword is still unsheated in many
places"
In the contest. Mr.. Baker added,
school children who will bear the re-
sponSibilitieS of citizenship in the
next generation will acquire necessary
knowledge, not only of the present
Army, but of the Army which went
to Europe like crusaders in holy
cause"
100000 to Take Part.
1t is estimated 100000 children
cred the best of all written. will be
selected by Mr.. Baker, Gen. Pershing
and Gen. March. in Washington. April
19. The authors. respectively. will re-
celve gold. silver and bronze medals,
and the schools they represent will re-
will be made May 5. Winners will
come here. with all expenses. Rid, as
guests of the Comeback
Child May Overlook One Item.
Perhaps one item that will be over
looked by the average child in writing
his essay is the fact that the man en-
tering the Army is placed under the di-
rection and supervision of an Army Off
Ger.
There is no printed data anywhere
that covers this item, and it is hardly
likely that the child will be so informed
as to mention it in the essay. Yet it is
one of the great benefits that a man
secures from an enlistment in the
United States ARMY. The greater per-
centage of Army officers are men in the
higher walks of life, their education and
schooling of the best
The enlisted man Of the Army who de-
sires to better himself can find no bet
ter way of doing SO than by watching
carefully his company commander
If every soldier in the Army today
would make a sincere effort to pattern
after his company commander. there is
no doubt that he would secure one of
the greatest blessings that can come to
man in his early period of manhood