| Show Wheat What Our Readers Think Fort Douglas Soldier Denies Gaeth's Charges Editor Telegram On Friday morning April 17 11 a distressing misrepresentation e em m a n a t ed over a local radio station when a well-known well radio commentator commentator commentator com com- presented a distorted news account of alleged outbursts outbursts outbursts out out- bursts of vitriolic by noncommissioned officers to casuals casuals selective selective service in inductees in- in at at the Fort Douglas reception center recently accorded accorded accorded ac ac- ac- ac corded a signal honor by the inspector generals general's department of the war department for being one of the most efficient induction induction induction tion centers in the United States America is at war Our cherished cherIshed cherished cher cher- ideals of democratic freedom freedom free free- dom are threatened Thousands of American soldiers already have llave paid the supreme sacrifice sacrifice sacrifice fice and yet there are some Americans who are still prudish apparently they believe believe that everyday words as hell hell and damn will stun their sons son's conscience as overheard in army camps The commentator Arthur Gaeth remarked that neophytes neophytes neophytes ne ne- ne- ne are exposed at the very beginning of their army career to the vulgar attitude and vocabularies men fish out of the gutter In a sense Mr Gaeth also implied that the noncommissioned officers officers officers of of- make life lite miserable for tor forthe forthe the newly inducted As a former member of The Telegram editorial staff and knowing of your publishing creed presenting creed presenting Unbiased and truthful news accounts may accounts may I inform readers of ot The Telegram and the public in general how utterly incorrect Mr Gaeth's re remarks remarks remarks re- re marks were regarding the alleged al- al alleged alleged al al- conditions The military tent tent Theodore Roosevelt wrote where young men sleep side by side will rank next to the public school among the great agents of democracy The army being trained for World war II It is a f democratic one There is absolutely no fa fa- Every inductee imme imme- gets such an impression after arriving here Teamwork is the cardinal principle of the army and every soldier and officer officer officer alike abides by the rules Everywhere theres there's a spirit of friendship courageousness and victory I have been a casual at the I reception center since April 3 and have already adapted myself myself myself my my- self to a totally new standard of living and working conditions True for the first several days the complete metamorphosis of d daily ily routine was hard but after several days army life with its regulations and ideals became my profession profession for for the duration and and I honestly believe that I Iam Iam Iam am an average soldier I have performed two assignments assignments assignments assign assign- ments on K K P P and while the task was somewhat strenuous strenuous- I able for an reporter ex was to smile when the last set of spotlessly-clean spotlessly p pots ts and pans were stored away I also drew down for one day as a member of the thrash detail detail collection tion of garbage There were three of us one was a former bank clerk and the other used to work as an accountant As scavengers we cleaned up marvelously The officers and noncommissioned noncommissioned noncommissioned officers with whom I I- I and thousands of other casuals have have come in contact are men of high-caliber high eager to help us new soldiers get a firm and correct footing in the army These officers eat in the same me mess IS hall hail see the same motion pictures and often participate in athletics with the enlisted men These officers officers from from Colonel H. H P. P Kayser our popular commandant commandant com com- mandant to the lowest noncom that of a corporal corporal are are imbued with the American spirit spirit ing freedom and fighting for freedom During my 15 days at the reception reception reception re re- re- re center I have never heard any officer utter any word which couldn't be repeated in my own home in presence of ot my mother officers arc are selected on a competitive basis for their aptitude qualities of leadership and and anc citizenship Many of them are college graduates having one or more degrees and were successful young leaders in their respective communities before being inducted into the army Noncommissioned officers do donot donot donot not make life miserable for forthe forthe forthe the casuals as Mr Gaeth re re- re marked marled The average casual re remains remains remains re- re mains at the reception center approximately 72 hours before being transferred to a training camp to receive basic funda funda- Because the turnover is so regular no noncom has hasan hasan hasan an opportunity to subject any particular inductee to a great amount of hardship The barracks barracks bar bar- racks are cleaned each morning with every casual participating in the assignment Everyone has something to do and keep leep oc oc- oc- oc The chow is excellent All of us receive ample sleep and recreation The inductees and and there are many of them in camp today will today will heartily attest to my remarks Thus in fairness to Colonel Kayser ayser and the staff of officers and noncommissioned officers at the Fort Douglas r reception center I request that you publish publish publish pub pub- lish my letter citing the true facts in rebuttal to Mr Gaeth's untruths Someone has said About the finest human specimen on the top of the earth is the American American American Ameri Ameri- can soldier soldier rough rough and ready never giving up always able to laugh even at his own plight a holy terror in a a. a fight ruthless ruthless ruthless ruth ruth- less to an enemy capable of a resistance generous to a fault to a beaten foe hating nobody fearing none with courage enough to storm Hades and the gentleness to win a child As a soldier in the ranks of the United States army I eagerly eagerly eagerly eager eager- ly await a new and stimulating experience working side by side with millions of others in attaining attaining attaining at at- what President Roosevelt Roosevelt Roosevelt Roose Roose- velt termed the inevitable triumph tri tri- Private Morris C. C Guss Guas Company B Fort Douglas Reception Center |
