Show Years Ago Uncle Sam Was Saying I 1 Want ant You for My Army but He Had Much Less to Offer Than He Has Today Dy ELMO SCOTT WATSON Released by b Western Newspaper Union U lOD see it everywhere YOU 1 now now on on sidewalk billboards billboards bill bill- a. boards that stand in front of post offices or in the corridors of other public buildings Its It's a poster in which an arresting figure catches the eye and holds it long enough to deliver this laconic message to the young men of America j I I II I h t It i. i 1 L Jt I i TATU Nf AIMI 00 11 VItO a. Its It's a part of Uncle Sams Sam's I campaign to increase one of his arms of defense to a new peacetime strength of men For if the flames of war leap across the Atlantic and the forces of totalitarianism totalitarian totalitarian- ism threaten his land Uncle Sam intends to be prepared in time to resist them suc suc- One hundred and fifty years ago he was engaged in a similar campaign campaign cam cam- yet how different There was no such emergency then as as now although Uncle Sam then but a stripling had already heard the rumblings of an imminent war across the ocean More than that two disasters to his puny army array on the western frontier had made him uncomfortably aware of how inadequate he was to defend defend defend de de- de- de fend the new nation if trouble came to its shores From its beginnings the United States has been a peace loving nation and has figuratively leaned over backwards to avoid any semblance of militarism The Founding fathers seeing in Europe the results of despotic power supported supported sup sup- ported by a strong military establishment resolved that there should be no such thing here to hinder their efforts to establish a government whose power would be ae derived from the consent of the governed When Washington became our first President two of the principal prin prine cipal objectives of his administration administration administration adminis adminis- were the establishment ofa of ofa I Ia a strong financial system and a sound military organization Alexander Alexander Al Al- Hamilton his secretary of the treasury provided the former for for- mer but Gen Henry Knox his secretary of war war had more difficulty dif acuIty in securing the latter Knox prepared a plan for compulsory com corn military training and service which Washington recommended mended to congress on January 1 1 1190 It was not favorably received mainly because Knox in his letter of transmittal said that his proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed continental militia would protect the country from internal as well as external enemies and he also stressed his opinion that the government should possess a strong corrective arm The secretary's choice of words was unfortunate especially at this particular time when congress congress con con- gress was trying to safeguard the liberties of the people by enacting enacting enact enact- ing lag a Bill BiU of Rights as the first amendments to the tion Naturally a proposal for a strong corrective arm rang harshly on the congressional ear and Knox's plan was rejected First National Defense Bill On July Tuly 1 I 1 1790 1190 Ellas Elias Boudinot of New Jersey introduced a national national national na na- na- na defense bill which proposed that the organization and training of our peacetime army consist of grouping all aU the younger men in special light Infantry companies companies com corn panics in each regiment of the general militia If war came these companies could be assembled assembled assembled assem assem- bled into battalions and regi regi- regiments regiments ments meats and thus form a new Continental Continental Continental Con Con- army Similar companies companies com corn panics were to be formed in the theother theother theother other branches of the service andall andall and andall all of them were Nere to have a sound system ot discipline and be trained under federal supervision The fir first t congress failed to act acton acton acton on the Boudinot bill and in the first session of the second congress congress con con- gress a similar measure was introduced in introduced introduced in- in by Jeremiah Wadsworth of Connecticut But before it was finally passed it was so amended and emasculated that Wadsworth voted himself no en on it Washington though greatly disappointed disappointed dis ills appointed in this new militia law nevertheless signed it with the Recruiting ing INSTRUCTIONS r J aa q fl- fl m Vj- Vj in t fit Ie w 1 tt u t cJ i SIR r 1 r. r J L m mr u are lre Immediately to 10 commence th the recruiting og In lh the die State o of or lOnU The principal i rende rendezvous will be it II cJ Q 2 c LJ ft fn- fn x Tour Your recruits will be by by- by w tL uw 4 7 n 1 f. f with d ral radon barracks barrack burak thaw ilia and lid fuel and 1 alto alfa with ith fuch medicinal ai I they the themay may maT require Gen Henry Knox Knoz secretary of war was sending these instructions instructions to his recruiting officers back in 1792 I hope that it might be amended later How lIow worthless was this law was proved two decades later when the nation tried to assemble assemble assem assem- ble an army to repel the invasion of the British in the War of 1812 It failed miserably with the result that the enemy easily defeated the defenders of Washington captured captured captured cap cap- that city and burned the Capitol and the White House Meanwhile events on the frontier fron Iron tier already had proved that our regular army was inadequate to perform the tasks expected of it In 1790 1190 it suffered a severe reverse reverse reverse re re- re- re verse under the leadership of Gen Josiah Harmar who was sent to subdue the hostile tribes In the theOld theOld theOld Old Northwest The next year occurred the defeat and rout of the army led by Gen Arthur St. St Clair the worst military disaster in America since the days of Braddock These two fiascoes not only resulted in the Indians renewing their attacks on the western settlements with even greater fury but they indicated to an alarmed country how impotent impotent im im- potent was the new federal gov More than that France and England were on the verge of renewing renewing renewing re re- their ancient feud and there was danger of the United States being drawn into it All of these factors pointed to the urgent necessity of our strengthening strengthening strengthening strength strength- ening our forces for national defense So Secretary Knox launched his recruiting campaign to obtain a regular army that would be equal to the task of defeating defeating de de- the confederation of tribes which had been formed by Chief Little Turtle of the In the light of the present drive to increase our army the instructions instructions instructions to recruiting officers sent out by Secretary Knox in 1792 1192 Zi I Is s b make interesting reading today Indicative of the difficulties which the federal government was having having hav hay ing tag in those days is the secretary's secretary's secretary's secre secre- tary's statement that The recruiting recruiting recruiting re re- re- re service is sometimes abused both as it respects the individuals recruited and the public public pub pub- lic lie at large that large that is Is recruits are unwarily and unworthily entangled entangled contrary to their intentions such men generally desert the service at some critical moment or serve grudgingly and set bad examples to others or unsuitable unsuitable unsuitable able persons are engaged who are constitutionally defective and unfit for the hardships incident to toa toa toa a military life In order therefore therefore therefore there there- fore to avoid the errors of this business the following instructions instructions instructions are to serve as the general rules and principles of your conduct con con- duct Knox's Recruiting Instructions lIe He then goes on to list the regulations reg reg- governing recruiting Some of them were as follows Th The recruits are ire to be tra for or three years yearl sooner looner discharged Each Etch recruit I. I to receive a bounty ol ot Eight EIb Dollars Dollart but no part of turn sum U is to b be advanced until the th recruit hall shaU have been heeD fair airly and sworn before be be- fore ore a Magistrate according to the th form orm orm herein and aDd then on only the said uld lum aum U is to be advanced In luch such proper tlona at as the Judgment of 0 the recruiting officer shall Iball dictate until experience shall In to tome some degree decree h. h have ve ascertained the fidelity of 0 the recruit Every recruiting officer shall shaU be allowed al al- al lowed towed the turn purn 01 ol Two Dollars Dollan for or or the th trouble and of tousling each re- re provided however that such Ilich al 51 I lowance will not be made for or or any recruit re reo re- re cruit who shall des desert rt before belore be he shall hall march from Irom the rendezvous of 0 the troops I In the State Stat where he shall have hays been recruited The utmost fairness Is I. to be used by b the recruiting officers In engaging their recruits no Individual therefore therdore Is II to be d In a state of 01 Intoxication or to tobe tobe tobe be sworn until after he shall ahaU have been for or the space of twenty four hours houn Each recruit musicians musician excepted must be five live feet and five live Inches In without shoes he tie must also be healthy robust and sound lound In his hll limbs and body in all aU respects and to ascertain ascer tam tain which he must be thoroughly examined ex cx- previously to by a I Physician or Surgeon but Surgeon but if U. notwithstanding standing this WI direction a recruit should I have any secret disease at the time Ume of 01 nl his hi the o of his cure I If 11 retained In service shall shaU be deducted rom from rom his hi pay py Each recruit before belore he Is II sworn la ii to have distinctly read to him the rules and articles of war against mutiny and desertion deser deser- tion and relative to the administration of 0 Justice and also the Act Ae of Congress of 0 the of April 1790 1190 establishing establishing- the rations clothing and compensation In cases of II disability and the Act ol of the of 0 March 1792 1783 establishing the pay aft after r which he be Is to take the following Oath before belore a Magistrate to wit I I A. A B. B do solemnly swear or affirm as the case cue may be to bear true tru allegiance alit alle glance Ince to the U United lt d States of America and to serve them and faithfully against all aU their enemies or whomsoever and to observe and to obey the orders of the President of 0 the United States of 91 America and the orders ordera of 0 the theoffice officers office appointed over me according to the thI articles of war Each ach recruit musicians excepted must be bel above eighteen and under forty five live of age ale No negro mulatto or 01 Indian to be recruited All AU AUth the recruits recruit if U possible to be natives na as- fives tives of 0 fair air conduct or foreigners of 0 good load character for sobriety and fidelity and who have bave been some years yearl In tn the country Any recruiting officer a vagrant or transient person who shall haU desert before marching from rom the place of 0 rendezvous shall haU reimburse out of his hla pay the 10 loss 10 sustained by such Ilich desertion deser tion It lion It Is tI therefore Important that the officers be attentive on this Wa point as u a compliance with this order will wUl be rigidly exacted The Interests will wW be better served by a small army of brave robust and faithful soldiers than by a multitude of vagabonds As AI soon loon as u the recruits recruit shall be assembled assembled as u. at the rendezvous the they are te tebe tebe tebe be taught by gentle lenUe methods method re regularity of 0 conduct as It shall haU respect cleanliness ness nes of their persons persona diet and rooms and also due subordination and they are areto areto areto to be exercised at least leut our four our hours houn In every day In the attitudes and other first principles of a soldier Qualifications Today Compare with those specifications laid down by Henry Knox the qualifications for enlistment in inthe Inthe inthe the regular army today Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 35 for original enlistment unmarried without other dependents and those under under un un- un der 21 must have the written consent consent consent con con- sent of parents or guardians they must be at least five feet four inches in height and weigh not less than pounds they the must be of good moral character as evidenced by written testimonials als from reputable citizens of their respective communities they must be in good health and arid free from incapacitating or disfiguring disfiguring disfiguring dis dis- figuring deformities they must be citizens of the United States by birth or naturalization at the time of enlistment and they must be able to pass certain intelligence intelligence in in- and literacy tests prescribed prescribed prescribed pre pre- scribed for the regular army Monthly rates of pay for the several grades as prescribed by bylaw bylaw bylaw law at present are as follows Master sergeant to technical sergeant 84 to staff stalY sergeant 72 12 to 90 sergeant 54 to corporal 42 to private first class 30 to private 21 to 2625 The first figure given in each instance instance instance in in- stance is the pay of the grade during the first four years of service This amount is increased increased increased in in- creased by 5 per cent every four years until a total of 25 per cent has been added In addition to the foregoing numerous specialists special special- ratings are provided for privates vates yates and privates first class whereby their pay is materially increased In addition to these monthly wages Uncle Sam furnishes clothing food housing and free medical and nd dental treatment In view of all these facts it is easy to understand why he is havIng having haying hav hay ing a greater and readier responSe response response re re- re- re to his I want YOU for forthe forthe forthe the United States Army than he would likely have had if it had been uttered back in 1792 |