Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 183, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1917 — HOHE-READING COURSE FOR CITIZEN-SOLDIERS [ARTICLE]

HOHE-READING COURSE FOR CITIZEN-SOLDIERS

(Issued by the War Department and all rights to reprint reserved.) ■ Z" ♦ Thu course of thirty daily leaaons is offered to the men selected for service in the National Army as a practical help in getting started in the right way. It is informal in tone and does not attempt to give binding rules and directions. These are contained in the various manuals and regulations of the U. S. Army, to which this course is merely introductory. LESSON NO. 5. FIRST DAYS IN CAMP.

There will be nearly forty thousand men in each cantonment. The task of preparing for your arrival is enormous. Each cantonment will require 25,000,000 feet of lumber, 7,500 doors, 37,000 window sashes, 4,665 casks, of Portland cement, and 5,000 yards of broken stone. The water supply of a cantonment will be 2,500,000 gallons a day. It will have its own sewerage system, fire department, bakeries, ice plants, and hospitals. It will even require a gigantic steam-heating plant. Sixteen cities, each with a population of 40,000, well cared for—that is the task. In spite of the best efforts, it is possible that some of the details may remain unfinished at the beginning of your camp life. There will be a certain amount of bustle and apparent confusion on the surface. Bear in mind that underneath it all lies a well-thought-out plan. In working out this plan everything possible has been done for the comfort and convenience of individual soldiers. Don’t grumble if you run into some temporary delays or inconveniences at the beginning. One of the tests of a good soldier is his cheerful willingness to take things as they are and make the best of them. You are naturally interested in forming some idea of the camp life of a soldier. The description which follows will help you in forming this idea. However, there will be many changes as you go along in your training. As the men in the National Army must get ready in record-breaking time, their training will be more strenuous than that of soldiers in peace. You will find there is plenty of hard* work ahead of you. The average young American will be glad of it. The soldier arises for the day usually at about six o’clock, a little earlier in the summer and a little later in the winter. The buglers sound the call known as reveille. The men dress and fall in. Your first experience of military drill will probably consist of “set-ting-up exercises,” which ordinarily occupy the first few minutes of the day. They consist of certain movements of the head, arms, trunk and legs which are carefully designed not merely to develop your muscles but also to increase your skill, grace, self-control and self-reliance. At the same time they will also put you into the right frame of mind for a vigorous day’s work. In the morning when the bugle rings out the reveille, and you crawl out of your bunk reluctantly, possibly tired and sore from the previous day’s work, you will find yourself wonderfully freshened and cheered up by a few minutes’ vigorous set-ting-up exercises. Watch their effect on yourself and you will see why they are so highly regarded by the most experienced soldiers of the army. It will be only a short time until you look upon the early morning settingup drill as one of the pleasantest features of your day. .

Then comes “washing up” and ► breakfast. Usually breakfast is foli lowed by a half hour for cleaning the barracks and bunks and putting clothing and bedding in order. Frequently the company commander will inspect the barracks immediately afterwards to make sure that every man has attended to his part of the work. There is then often some time which the trained soldier uses for attending to his personal needs, tidying up his clothing, and the like. The remaining two or three hours of the morning are likely to be spent in drill—at first in “close order” and later in “extended order” also. These terms will be explained later. As you advance, the drills will become more and more interesting. During the drill there are numerous short periods of rest. In most camps guard mounting eomes about noon. This consists of relieving the men who have been guarding the camp and turning over this duty to new men. Each soldier mounts guard not oftener than once a week. After guard mounting the men go to dinner, which comes at 12 o’clock. At least one hour is always allowed for dinner and rest. During the afternoons the work is likely to be varied and to include additional setting-up exercises and other drills, target practice, bayonet exercises -and later more -advanced drilling. About five o’clock comes the evening parade and “retreat,” when the flag is lowered or furled for the night. The band plays “The Star Spangled Banner,” while all officers and soldiers stand at attention. The ceremony is designed to deepen each man’s respect and love for the flag which he serves; it is always impressive. After the flag is lowered, it is carefully folded and escorted by the guard to headquarters, where it is kept until the next morning, when it is again raised. Supper' comes between 5 and ff* o’clock, and is usually followed by a period of rest. In the training camps there will be many opportunities for a variety of healthful amusements — for sports, qiusic, the theatre and so on. Taps are sounded by 10 o’clock. This is the signal to put out all lights, retire and keep quiet. “It closes the day for the soldier and sends him to his blankets a tired and sleepy man.” This is only a sample of a day in camp. On some days your company will go off on hikes. After a time there may be longer marches, when you will carry your shelter tents with you and will make your own camp each evening. These are days that will be especially interesting. You will learn the soldier’s art of adapting yourself to new situations and making yourself comfortable. Your officers will ask you to do nothing that they have not many times done themselves. They will ask nothing of you which any nor- ; mal, healthy man cannot do. After a month or two of this training you will find that you have begun to take , on some of the skill and the self-re-liance of a real soldier.