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The Infantry School

The casual observer is apt to measure the value of a school by merely glancing over the curriculum offered, and totaling up the number of hours of work accomplished. If a school is what it should be, and if it performs its full duty to the student, the work completed in the lecture halls and on the field comprise only a minor part of the total value derived from it by the aggressive student.

Looking at it from this standpoint alone, the Infantry School at Camp Benning has great possibilities for the individual officer fortunate enough to be in attendance, and for the Infantry Service at large. The present classes compose a total of approximately 700 officer students. These officers hail from nearly every organization and post in the United States. Here they

are thrown into contact with each other, and are daily matching wits in the class-room and on the field. The majority of them are entering upon the first years of their commissioned service, hence their associations and acquaintances within the Army are comparatively limited. At this school the opportunity is given them to become acquainted with a part of the personnel of nearly every organization in the Infantry.

The school has already been the means of reuniting many for the first time since the World War. One particular instance may be given where a former commanding officer of the Seventh Infantry called together all the officers and former officers of this organization for a dinner at the leading Hotel in Columbus, Georgia. It was found that more than thirty officers who were at one time or another

on duty with this single regiment are at the school in the capacity either of student or of Administration. Other organizations are planning similar reunions. The high esprit of these organizations should manifest itself in the esprit of their school, thence it is but a short and direct step to the esprit of the Infantry.

The Infantry is each day becoming a more technical branch of the Service. It now has a school where the fundamental technical education and training of the mass of its junior officers can be accomplished. The junior infantry officer must realize the necessity for this education and training, or fail in maintaining the high standards. which have been established for him by the Infantry itself and by the Service at large. He must apply himself accordingly. The Infantry School is his opportunity. If he improves it, he has improved the Infantry. By carrying the esprit of his organization into the School he will have helped to place the Infantry in the fore where it rightfully belongs.-BASIC COURSE.

Rest Is Right.-Lured by the promises of the brilliant recruiting signs in the Army's new drive, a lank Arkansas youth had let himself in for three years and was taking his first third degree from the sergeant.

"D'ya know what the command 'Rest' means?" bellowed the mentor.

"Sure," replied the rookie. "You can talk, you keep one foot in position, and you got to remain somewhere in the vicinity."

Recruiting Don'ts

The following Recruiting Don'ts appeared in the Tri-monthly Recruiting

News, which is issued from the Wichita, Kansas, Recruiting District. Here are some good ideas to pass along to your regimental recruiters:

1. Don't pass up men who wear glasses.

2. Don't talk enlistment period till all else is arranged (assume 3 years is the only thing to be considered) unless applicant insists on it-then be prepared to show advantages of 3 years over 1 year.

3. Don't light a cigarette while talking to a prospect, unless you can also offer him one.

4. Don't throw away a lighted match if prospect needs one. Keep his interests in view-they are also yours.

5. Don't use profanity in talking to prospects. Profanity weakens rather than strengthens any statement or argument that you make.

6. Don't allow your weakness for the fair sex to divert your attention from the search for prospects. "Keep your mind on the race," or you cannot win-either in recruiting or any other work in life.

7. Don't be drawn into long conversations about casual matters (politics, the weather, your life history, reminiscences, etc.). They are deadly, and probably waste more time than any other thing. Keep to your subjectrecruiting. However, be courteous to all.

8. Don't let a prospect get away without giving you his name and address.

9. Don't forget that nowadays Infantry makes forced marches in automobiles-even easier than riding a horse.

10. Don't let a prospect get away without coming to the office, if you can possibly bring him. Remember that we are working as a "team" to "close the deal," and the desk sergeant has a "closer," and two heads are better than

one, and a change in line of talk and in personality of the recruiter will often work where one man would fail. It is

a single remark or a singie idea that usually brings the decision.

11. Don't limit your efforts to"young men." The idea seems to be quite general that only "young men" are eligible or desirable in the Army. This is a great mistake-mature men from 25 to 35 years are much needed.

"All the good wishes in the world will not serve to win battles." This thought must have been among those that occurred to General Wrangle when he left the Crimea and turned over that fair land to Bolsheviki ravishment and destruction.

Ex-Service Men Taught Trades

The New York Tuberculosis Association announces that its model workshop for the industrial and economic rehabilitation of arrested cases of pulmonary tuberculosis is now ready to receive applicants.

The workshop is located in the Long Island City, part of New York, in a large, airy, well-lighted loft. A lunchroom, in which meals are furnished to the workers at cost, is provided. An open-air rest room is being constructed on the roof of the building. Medical care, free of charge, is given by the tuberculosis experts of the Association at their Manhattan Office, so that students at the shop are protected from any public suspicion of their previous illness. Instruction in watch repairing, jewelry manufacturing and high class cabinet work-all of which are highly paid trades-is given by the best men in the crafts to be had in New York. A trained nurse and social worker visits regularly the homes of the men, giving the benefit of her experience and advice whenever needed. Family cares and worries are cheerfully

shared; children in need of building up are directed to the best places for treatment; any social service needed is rendered.

Applicants for admission to the workshop must first communicate with the District Medical Officer at the Federal Board of Vocational Educa

tion, 25 West 43rd Street, New York City, and then apply in person to the New York Tuberculosis Association, 10 East 39th Street, Manhattan.

The Reco Manufacturing Company, as the workshop of the New York Tuberculosis Association is called, is an institution recognized by the Federal Board of Vocational Education, where eligible former service men, who are arrested cases of tuberculosis, may receive vocational training. Compensation from the Government is not affected while the men are being trained at the workshop. The object of this workshop is to gradually and safely teach the men a good trade that will not be injurious to them and in which, after they have learned to make marketable goods, they will receive the same wages as other workmen. The amount of work allotted each man is regulated by the physician-in-charge so as to assure that nothing beyond the student's strength

is undertaken.

There is a great demand for skilled workers in the watch repairing and jewelry trade, as well as in cabinet work, and according to conservative experience the present wages men may earn in these occupations is anywhere from forty to seventy-five dollars a week.

"Lottarox was telling me that he has been trying for six months without suc

cess to get a passage to see the battlefields of France."

"Evidently the wind has changed. He spent two years trying not to see them with success."

National Guard at Infantry School The National Guard class at the

Infantry School produced some remark

able results in their rifle marksmanship course at the Infantry School.

There were 42 officers in the class. The course consisted of 61⁄2 days of preparatory work, and four full days and four half days of range firing. During this period the theoretical instruction in automatic rifles was given. The qualifications made on record practice (Regular Army course) were: 22 expert riflemen, 8 sharpshooters, 8 marksmen, 4 unqualified.

This is over 90 per cent qualified in a course that practically covered only a two weeks' period for all instruction and firing. Well over 50 per cent of the class qualified as expert riflemen.

Self-preservation is the first law of nature, and national defense is the first duty of the state. Every individual who enjoys in America the blessings of civilization and freedom, owes to the country the duty of defending it against all enemies from within or from without.

Warrant Officers

The creation of the grade of Warrant Officer in the Army has apparently failed to bring about what was hoped for a position between the commissioned officer and the enlisted man. A position which could be employed to reward our old noncommissioned officers who served throughout the war as officers and who, for one reason or an

other, failed to secure an appointment squadron and battalion headquarters.

in the Regular Army.

In the first place, the pay and allowances are not such as to make the office attractive. A master sergeant receives greater pay and more attractive retirement privileges than the warrant officer. Again, the duty to which warrant officers are assigned-purely clerical-is not attractive to many of the men.

It is hoped that the warrant officer of the Army will eventually be placed on the same status and pay as that grade in the Navy, which is most. Navy, which is most attractive.

A woman got into a jitney. The engine started with a jerk, and the flivver began to race madly along, narrowly missing lamp posts, street cars, policemen, etc. Becoming frightened, the

woman called to the driver:

This vehicle is drawn by two animals; therefore there is a total saving of two animals and one driver over four animals and two drivers needed with the present ration cart and water carts which this light spring wagon replaces. It is mounted on a trailer chassis with 40-inch wheels and is capable of making a 58-degree turn. The tongue can be replaced by a towing bar in a few minutes, thus converting the vehicle into a true trailer, which can be taken along behind any truck when the regiment is moved by truck transportation. There is an excellent foot brake, and a light top with side curtains. A feature of the mounting of the top is the angle iron on the bow over which the cover is drawn. This holds upright wood pieces in place and forms a rounded right-angle at the top, into

"Please be careful; this is the first which another straight piece of wood is time I ever rode in a jitney."

The chauffeur replied reassuringly: "That's all right, ma'am. This is the first time I ever drove one."

Equipment

The consensus of opinion from officers who have served in A. E. F. is that the water and rations carts furnished were too heavy and cumbersome. An attempt has been made to remedy some of the defects noted by drawing the cart with two animals instead of the one formerly provided, and by slight changes in existing construction. The mounted services, however, did not favor the cart since it could not be drawn with facility by animals moving faster than a walk. Accordingly, a light spring wagon has been developed which, in the Cavalry and Field Artillery, is issued to troops, batteries, and

slipped for the purpose of connecting the two uprights. Thus instead of the old bow, very difficult to replace when broken, we now have three straight pieces of wood and two angle irons. Repairs can be made with material easily obtained. Deliveries of this new vehicle have just begun (November) and it is expected that the Cavalry and Field Artillery will soon be completely equipped. One of these light wagons is being sent to the Infantry Board at Camp Benning, Georgia, for study as to its possibilities in connection with regimental transportation of Infantry.

(Wynne Oil Burners.)-Wynne oil burners have been distributed and ordered installed in every rolling kitchen in the hands of troops. This burner uses kerosene or gasolene. It is controlled with the same ease as a gas jet. The use of this burner will be a "godsend" to army cooks, as it is

much easier to manage than a coal or wood fire and gives a more even heat. Cooks should be careful not to turn the flame up higher than necessary, as an unnecessarily high flame causes undue waste of oil and wears out the kitchen. When used with even moderate care this burner will be much more economical than wood or coal.

(Rolling Kitchens.)-Based on experiments conducted at Fort Myer last spring, the Quartermaster General has just let a contract to the Trailmobile Company for two experimental Rolling Kitchen trailers. They will be of 200man capacity; fitted with oil burners, and capable of using either wood, coal or oil by slight changes easily made in the field within a few minutes.

There will be oven space, far superior to that provided in the old field range. The system of heat radiation used was developed by the Trailmobile Company in cooperation with one of the bestknown engineers of the country; and its baking properties are expected to be excellent. There will be side doors through which the four large boilers may be slid, thus avoiding the strain of lifting the boilers straight up-one of the objectionable features of the old Liberty Kitchen. A hot water reservoir is provided; also a reservoir for oil when the oil burner is used. There is an excellent top, with side curtains. which can be opened out to make a shelter when the kitchen is standing. Convenient receptacles for the necessary kitchen equipment are provided. The entire vehicle will be made lighter than the escort wagon loaded and can be drawn easily by four animals, or trailed behind a truck by the substitution of a towing bar.

It is understood that two other experimental kitchens will be built by the

Eclipse Stove Co., of which the details are not now available.

One of each of the above models will be sent to the Infantry Board, at Camp Benning, for test. This experimental work is sure to give to the Army the best field kitchen in the world. The Infantry Journal heartily congratulates the Quartermaster General on this progressive and foresighted step of “preparedness."

In the showing of a pictorial news weekly in a movie house in San Diego, the operator flashed on the screen a picture of two distinguished French generals riding in an automobile. Crowds lined the pavements, their umbrellas up and water dripping from their hats. Suddenly from the audience came the awed cry:

"My Gawd, it's still rainin' over there!"

The Army Builds Men

Bring on your boys from the cities,

Send us your lads from the plains, Be they sickly and pale, immature, thin and frail,

And only a semblance of brains. Let them come from an overseas nation, Swede, Danish, or Russian or Dutch. It matters not, a cosmopolite lot

We'll take 'em and train 'em just such.

Have you heard of our Army's slogan?

We shout it-THE ARMY BUILDS

MEN!

We care not for features, they're all of God's creatures,

They go to the "melting pot." Then Watch for the change that comes o'er them,

Are these the young lads whom you knew?

They are hearty and hale, each a redblooded male,

That's what our Army can do.

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