| Show with uncle sam s regular soldiers some fact about army life and the treatment prospects and facilities for education of the men it must ae borne in mind saya a writer that one essential tor leading a aappo ute in the united states army s good behavior and it any voice from the ranks tells a tale 0 sary hardships endured or other grievances it Is certain to be merely he natural result of bad conduct and of leading a lazy and dissolute life and the same man would have fared equally bad in any other walk of life that he is inexperienced and does not know how to care for himself or falls to attend to the directions re dived the army is necessarily governed by intelligent regulations and strict obedience is required of all for with out this nothing could be done and what is now viewed by the world as a magnificent fighting force would be come of no more use than an armed mob while the ordinary citizen may view with some contempt the proffer of 13 a month for his daily work still how many today to day toiling eight ten and sometimes sixteen hours are making on an average of 60 a month or an income of a yeara this is what the average soldier in the united states army Is getting today when all clothing medical attention cines baths free gymnasium ies with books of all sorts magazines periodicals post exchanges exclusive ly for the soldiers use where he may purchase at cost such soft drinks and articles as may be deemed necessary for his comfort and where may be found billiard and pool tables and a good supply of games such as chess checkers dominoes and cards can be taken into consideration addition to this if the soldier be a good tradesman carpenter mason teamster or any of workman or a man with a fair education or it may he mentioned that even when a man if he Is not up to his work he may by little application and by tak ing advantage 0 the chanced to in form himself iton become a good scholar or improve in hie trade As in the case elret cited he will receive in addition to the regular 01 ol dier s pay 35 or 60 cents a day by be hg detailed for duty in some of the places in which extra duty Is paid at these rates from this it may be sn that an industrious man can earn from 10 to 15 a kontfi in addition to hie pay any money gaved can be deposited in the treasury in sums not less than 5 at 4 per cent interest and cannot be forfeited except by desertion thus giving the enlisted man a bank and a surety tor saving such as no catl zen in the united states can boast A private soldier with a fair education who proves himself by his con duct his duty well done his efficiency and aptitude will alwais sooner or later get the first step upward that of a corporal from where it he Is am and shows fitness he can be sure that his work and talents will be noted and rewarded by further promotion for it may be truly said that while we have no field marshal in our service and we cannot literally repeat napoleon s assertion that every soldier carries a marshal s baton in bis knapsack still the agh est rank in our army today to day Is he by a lieutenant general who was at one time a recruit he succeeded a man aleut gen young who also started as a private and when gen young relinquished ed the highest rank in our army he sent to his successor a palt of lieutenant general s shoulder straps with the note from private young pennsylvania volunteer infantry to private chaffee troop U S cavalry of course these men en listed during the civil war when alves for enlisting were different while those who enlist at present with commissions in view mostly do from love of a soldiers life to sa that a man loves the life Is simply that he Is a born soldier and his success in the army is assured |
