Newspaper Page Text
Oct. 31, 1917.
Physically Unfit
To Be Reclaimed
Congress Expected to Estab-
lish Camps for Upbuilding
i of Rejected Men. Changes
j Contemplated in Selective
I Service Law
»... ...
Many of the young men of selec
tive service age rejected for phys
ical reasons either by local exemp
tion boards or after reaching camp
'are destined to see service with the
(Colors after all.
One of the first bills Congress will
ibe asked to pass when it meets in
{December will be a measure provid
ing for the establishment of camps
for “reclaiming” these rejected
men—putting them through a
course of training which will re
move their physical disqualifica
tions.
This will be good news to hun
dreds of young men who were anx
ious to don the uniform of their
country with their fellow townsmen,
but were prevented from doing so
because of easily remedied physical
Imperfections. The “reclamation”
camps will dd the work which hun
dreds of young men who were
turned down have been trying to do
at home by exercising and improv
ing their health in every way pos
sible so as to fit themselves for mil
itary service.
It is probable that a number of
changes will be made in the selec
tive service law soon after Congress
assembles, as observation of the op
eration of the law has suggested a
number of beneficial alterations.
The law will be improved and
strengthened in a number of ways
by amendments, but practically none
of its cardinal principles will be
changed.
Indications are that Congress will
be asked to pass a law providing for
universal military training, with the
age limits considerably below twen
ty-one and above thirty-one.
Representative Kahn, of Califor
nia, who engineered the selective
service law through Congress last
spring, is confident that both houses
will promptly adopt an amendment
providing for the registration of
boys between the age of sixteen and
twenty-one, to become subject to
the draft upon reaching the latter
age.
Another amendment is expected
to make men who became twenty
one after June 5 liable to service.
Thousands of young men escaped
the draft because they did not be
come twenty-one until June 6,7, 8
or just a few days after June 5.
All of these men are expected to be
made available for call in the first
draft.
Many representatives and sen
ators have indicated their intention
to support an amendment raising
the draft age to at least thirty-five
years.
HIGHER POSTAL RATES
EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 3
Beginning November 2 the rates
of postage on letters will be three
cents instead of two, and two cents
instead of one on postal cards. This
Is one of the ways the government
expects to raise millions of addi
tional revenue with which to buy
supplies for its soldiers.
Men in National Army and Na
tional Guard cantonments and
camps should advise the home folks
of the change in the postal rates so
as to avoid delays in the handling
of their mail. If the proper postage
is not attached to letters and postal
cards the mail delays for the collec
tion of “posttage due” are certain.
, WORKS TWO WAYS
It was at one of the new Na
tional Army cantonments. A new
recruit passed a second lieutenant,
but failed to salute. The second
lieutenant wheeled and said:
“You, there, halt! Don’t you
know enough to salute an officer?”
The rookie gazed at him dumb
ly, at a loss for a satisfactory ex
planation.
“Now, you stand there and sa
lute me fifty times,” ordered the
lieutenant.
The rookie obeyed. A major
coming up, stopped to watch the
performance to its completion. At
its end, he said:
“What’s this?”
The lieutenant explained.
“Don’t you know that an officer
must return the salute of a pri
vate?" inquired the major. “Re
turn the fifty.”
TU* second lieutenant did.
TRENCH AND CAMP
U s Ft£KT fMfr FELLERS "
1 _' — i —— ’
(FoT OFF To A 00OD START
WHOUT'BATriM’AW EVE OR/
/ A MP, „
WT ftEftg .. | —"7 —\
? ( C/fcJb' I
A.'fesw i / \
LUM? R» ftiv I V, I ” iJROApioAY- A
TJowm-hecf r/ i I «euo
-THAT NftfHCfLri /
veer ABovt z , / _
> J; if} < Bd
'SpVrM z/
(' J}
/ J \ z va I --
I /k Ff / HU k T 1 C —V \ <AKe CAae / _ Go -J /
I J X —' I / /
f Bl \ 'MpT (?“■) nr'''
I® , / fej
j XP?M Km Isw//j
opsooti
Ar GM-AfPiM. ° * „.
Col. Peyton Outlines Civilian=Soldiers* Duties
Soldiers in the making probably
never heard a finer summarization
of the obligations devolving upon
men in uniform than Lieutenant-
Colonel E. G. Peyton gave the 320th
Infantry at Camp Lee, Petersburg,
Va. His address, although brief,
was most comprehensive, beginning
with the universal liability of cit
izens of a republic to military serv
ice, touching upon the life and du
ties of a soldier and concluding with
allusion to the opportunities for
advancement.
Every man in each of the thirty
two cantonments would do well to
read and remember Lieutenant-
Colonel Peyton’s words.
Here is his admirable address:
Citizens Must Be Soldiers
“The obligation for military serv
ice is an inherent attribute of cit
izenship. The citizens are protected
both in person and property by the
government through its agencies,
the courts and its officials. In re
turn for this protection, it devolves
upon the citizens to give protection
to the government in the event its
institutions are threatened, and its
sovereignty violated, and this pro
tection is best accomplished by the
organization of citizens into a mili
tary force. Our constitution clearly
contemplates this, and in conse
quence of our participation in the
war with Germany, the draft law
has resulted.
“As a result of Germany’s years
of preparation and her enormous
mobilization of men and resources,
it has devolved upon our govern
ment to retrieve our past indiffer
ence to preparedness by appropria
ting enormous funds for the mobili
zation, housing, training, and the
supplying of men in sufficient num
bers to win this war.
“We are today fighting jusyt as
much for principle, for freedom,
for protection of our citizens, and
to resist violation of our sovereignty
as did our forefathers in 1776 and
1812. We. are representing the
American people in their .war
against the German government,
and you are sent here for military
organization and training.
Unity Essential
“In football, and in every other
game where strength and skill are .
required, success depends upon the
physical condition of the individual
players, and upon the unity of ac
tion, and team work of the whole.
In the military game we call this
team work, and willingness to play
the game—discipline.
“War is a science that requires
for its mastery constant study and
hard training. To be successful in
the war game we must develop in
dividual strength and coutage, skill
and proficiency in the use of the rifle
and bayonet, and at the same time
obey accurately and promptly the
signals, which are the orders of youi’
officers, and non-commissioned offi
cers. Signals in football are never
prefaced by ‘will you kindly’ or
‘will you please do,’ etc., and our
coaching in the Army does not ad
mit of the use of these courteous
ballroom expressions in the trans
mission of orders.
“I want to impress upon you the
necessity for prompt obedience of
orders. It promotes unity of action,
it is essential to success of a mili
tary mission, and it will respond
promptly to the orders of its im
mediate chief, so that when our
colonel transmits the division com
mander’s orders to us, we must be
on our toes ready to carry them out
with speed, accuracy and strength.
High Standard Required
“In your transfer from civil to
military life you have acquired a
number of new obligations, and you
have left behind a number of rights
and privileges. By reason of the
uniform you wear, you are a marked
man, a soldier in the service of the
United States, an honorable, patri
otic avocation. A higher standard
of conduct is required of you. You
are now governed by the military
as well as the civil laws of the
United States, and if you commit a
military crime you have not the
right to trial by jury. Your time
must be employed to the best ad
vantage of the government, and you
can’t lay off for a day or so without
authority. Every enlisted man has
a right to take a proper grievance to
his commanding officer for adjust
ment. No officer or non-commis
sioned officer will be permitted to
abuse this authority over you. Os
course, we don’t expect to get to
gether 3,600 men in one regiment
without having some who will have
to be driven to their work.
“We are servants of the govern
ment, creatures of orders, and I
have tried to point out the necessity
of strict obedience to the lawful or
ders of superiors. Our non-military
friends are imbued with the idea
that the private soldier is also the
servant of the officer. This is most
erroneous. You are not required to
do menial personal service for an
officer. However, in making camp
after a day’s march you will find
that the officers are busy looking out
for your comfort, and it is expected
that a detail from the company put
up the officer’s tent and place inside
the property belonging therein.
This is military duty pertaining to
the establishment of the camp.
“You are starting life in youi
new home on the level. Some have
had military experience, but there
are splendid opportunities of ad
vancement for all. We must have
corporals and sergeants, and the
most proficient men among you will
receive those appointments. There
are vacancies now among the com
missioned personnel, and there will
be other vacancies. You have a
chance to establish your worthiness
for such vacancies, and your officers
will be glad to recommend you for
promotion when your proficiency
warrants it. Some of you will suf
fer financially by your entry into
the service, but your military expe
rience will improve you physically,
broaden you mentally, and we want
you to maintain high moral and re
ligious standards.”
Page 7
WW
Ml II Til
s
ilk
\ I' J
iJiT
3'X