The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1941-10-16

injustices where they are and probably
wreck many businesses by making it
impossible, or at least extremely diff
ficult for them to increase prices to
offset actual losses So that obviously,
any system should be flexible. But
flexibility opens the dior to favoritsm
and the headache is right there again.
From my own personal observation,
I am inclined to agree with reports
on the recent army maneuvers to the
effect that morale in the new army is
okay. All members of Congress were
invited to an inspection and to wit
ness various demonstrations last week
at Fort Velvoir, Va, where one of the
army's two engineering training schools
is operating.
We saw all of the various equip
ment of the army, first on exhibition
and then in action in a tactical prob
lem, and we watched the engineers at
various types of training, from erect
ing temporary barracks and rigging
hoists with logs and ropes, to build
ing all types of bridges, from little
foot affairs to big pontoon bridges that
would carry 80 tons and on which
the heaviest equipment could cross.
The engineer demonstrations were by
men who had been in service only eight
or nine weeks, and their teamwork and
speed was amazing. The same thing
was true in the tactical demonstration,
and I have noticed the same zip in
other camps where men are training.
Where men show that kind of pep and
enthusiasm, morale is okay no matter
how much complaining they do. After
all, it's part of the American tradition
to do a certain amount of kicking,
but it also is part of the same ira
dition to try to do your job better than
any other outfit, and as long as the
latter tradition prevails, and it does,
there isn't much need to worry.
Better athletic recreational facilities
are needed in most of the new camps:
facilities for football, baseball, boxing,
basketball and similar sports There
are other factors in the picture, of
course. One major problem of the
army has been to keep training of
reserve officers ahead of training of
men. Most of the reserve officers were
rusty when called into active training.
On the other hand, plenty of selectees
are wen-educated, alert and intelli-
gent boys. They learn just as fast
as the reserve officers, and sometimes
faster, and they are plenty intolerant
of poor leadership. At Belvoir, for
instance, some of the first group of
selectees training there did so well
they have been kept on as non-com
istructors.
And, of course, most of the boys
feel the pay situation keenly. Many of
them earned good wages in civilian
life, AMI they know of fellows their
own age making high wages in defense
industries. Naturally, their $21 or
$50 month seems like a raw deal
to them.
For one, I'll go along with the men
in the army on the pay angle. The
more I see of it, the stronger is my
impression that modern warfare, as
well as the training for it, is simply
the hardest kind of physical work,
much of it requiring considerable
skill.
During the first few months of hard
ening and learning, low pay may be
justified, just as in industry during the
apprentice period, but once the men
on a gun crew, handling a tank, or
in one of those engineer units really
know their jobs and have the physical
stamina to do them at top speed as
they must, then higher wages are in
order.
I have talked to men in the army
who feel the same way about it. In
fact, through various ratings and pro-
motions, the best men do receive con-
siderably more than $50 a month, and
I believe army leaders are trying to
develop that angle further.
Over and above their pay, however,
the men are receiving invaluable train
ing and will come out better equipped
to tackle private life.