Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 271, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 December 1917 — WAR TALKS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAR TALKS

By UNCLE DAN

Number Two

Jimmie Collins Telle What He Saw— What Military Training Does for Boys. “Well, here we are!" exclaimed Billie, presenting his chum, Jimmie Collins. “Very glad to see you, Mr. Collins,” said Uncle Dan with a smile. “Aw," said Billie, “Just call him Jimmie. That’s the only name he knows. He’s the pitcher of our baseball nine, and he's some pitcher, too. Just feel of his arm.” “Well,” said Uncle Dan. feeling, “That’s a mighty good arm!” “Now, boys," said Uncle Dan, “what do you want to talk about?” • “Well,” said Jimmie, “I was down to Galesburg a few months ago when the boys came home from the Mexican border. They looked fine. Everybody was surprised to see how straight they stood and how manly they were. The boys seemed proud tcj wear the uniform. I tell you their muscles were as hard as nails. I heard Banker Haskett say that the training 4 and discipline the boys had had was exactly what every boy in the country ought to have, and that now these boys could get a better job at higher pay than they could have had before. Do you think that’s so, Uncle Dan?" Uncle Dan replied: “I have a friend who employs hundreds of young men. He always gives boys having had military training the preference; he says it pays to do so. He finds they are more -alert, more prompt, more courteous; they ,know how to carry out orders; they are quicker to think and to act than those without training. Be said from his experienee he believed that six or eight months of Intensive military training would add at least 20 per cent to a man’s

The two pictures are of the same young man. The first was taken the day he enlisted and the second after he had had five months’ military training. His home is in North Carolina. earning capacity, and that It was the best Investment any young man could make. •‘Billie, if you will go up to my room and bring my small handbag, I will let you see jtwo photographs of the same young man, showing what only five months of Intensive training on the Mexican border did for him.” The bag was brought. Uncle Dan, showing the pictures, said: “Well, here they are. They tell their own story and it is a mighty interesting one. The young man, before training, has a discouraged look; he has seen but little of the world. There was 'very little in his surroundings to bring him out. When he joined the colors and Uncle Sam took him in charge, life for him took on a new meaning. He saw a chance to do something and ■be something. He woke lip. His capitain says he is twice the jnan he was when he joined the army. This may jbe one of the extreme cases,” said >Uncle Dan. “I can tell you, though, (that war or no war, no one thing will do the young men of this nation so much good in so short a time as a few ’months of Intensive military training. It fits a man to fight his own-life battles in the business world as well as to defend his country and its flag. “Nearly every civilized country gives its boys military training. It is compulsory. It is based upon the filet that jt is the duty of everyone to help defend his country; and as war is now carried on, no one can do much unless he is trained. Also, the records show that the killed and wounded among untrained troops is nearly three times as great as it is with well-trained men who know how to fight and how to protect themselves. By this plan a inatlon has trained men to defend hex and the individual is a stronger and better man for the training. h “If the Chamberlain Bill for Military Training is passed by congress, as it ought to be, the same thing would be done for millions of other young men throughout the land. Everybody ought to demand of his congressman and senators the passage of this bill.” “All right, sir, exclaimed Jimmie, we will see Judge Brownell, Mr. Haskett, and Professor Slocum, and get them busy.”

AFTER FIVE MONTHS.