TRANSCRIBED FROM THE OSCEOLA TIMES AUGUST 9, 1918
Before entering the national army a few weeks ago, I had an idea that soldiers spent their spare time in gambling and that as a rule they were rude men. But, as far as I have gone, this is not true. In fact, the new soldier, the man who has been in service two or three months or longer at Camp Pike, is much more of a gentleman than his civilian brother. He has to be. If one soldier out of one thousand goes to bad places and is found drunk, the public is ready to say, “oh well, what else could be expected? He is a soldier.”
The soldier is in the public eye so long as he makes a crooked move. If he acts as the soldier generally acts he gets no credit for it. When he gives his seat in a street car to a lady while dudish civilians stick to theirs like leeches he gets no credit for it. He probably deserves none, for it is not questioned that it is a duty he performs with pleasure, but why, in the name of justice does not the public see that part of the soldier when condemning him for some small offense.
Perhaps the people unfamiliar with camp conditions think the soldiers spare time is filled with temptations that he yields to. He does have more room in his mind for evil desires, but he soon learns to master them to a large extent.
There are indecent places about all army camps, I suppose perhaps less around Camp Pike than most others, but a man has little difficulty in shunning these places. There are too many respectable amusements for him to go into these bad districts.
The “big brother” of the soldier is the army Y. M. C. A. It does more probably to keep Uncle Sams’ army a clean body of men than all other forces combined. Of course there are other organizations that are doing the same kind of work but the “Y” is the best of them all.
The government itself encourages and furnishes many kinds of amusements for the men in khaki. All kinds of sports such as baseball, boxing and other athletic contests help to make life worth while for the man who is training to go over there.
Another side of the soldiers’ life has been provided for in the camp libraries and liberty theatres. At these theatres good shows are seen for the sum of 25 cents, or if you are lucky enough to possess a smileage book from a friend at home your quarter can stay in your pocket. There is plenty of clean entertainment provided for Uncle Sam’s men without their going into forbidden territory.
The national army is composed of men right out of civil life, men who think of home often, and it is well that they think of home often. Their thoughts of home make these men strong enough to be master of every desire. While thinking of home as something worth fighting for these men become strong in every way. They’ll show it too when they really get into the big scrap “over there.”
NOTES: This letter was written by Corporal Buford Reid serving with Company H, Third Regiment at Camp Pike, Arkansas. The letter was dated July 31.
TRANSCRIBED BY: ISAAC WOLTER
Before entering the national army a few weeks ago, I had an idea that soldiers spent their spare time in gambling and that as a rule they were rude men. But, as far as I have gone, this is not true. In fact, the new soldier, the man who has been in service two or three months or longer at Camp Pike, is much more of a gentleman than his civilian brother. He has to be. If one soldier out of one thousand goes to bad places and is found drunk, the public is ready to say, “oh well, what else could be expected? He is a soldier.”
The soldier is in the public eye so long as he makes a crooked move. If he acts as the soldier generally acts he gets no credit for it. When he gives his seat in a street car to a lady while dudish civilians stick to theirs like leeches he gets no credit for it. He probably deserves none, for it is not questioned that it is a duty he performs with pleasure, but why, in the name of justice does not the public see that part of the soldier when condemning him for some small offense.
Perhaps the people unfamiliar with camp conditions think the soldiers spare time is filled with temptations that he yields to. He does have more room in his mind for evil desires, but he soon learns to master them to a large extent.
There are indecent places about all army camps, I suppose perhaps less around Camp Pike than most others, but a man has little difficulty in shunning these places. There are too many respectable amusements for him to go into these bad districts.
The “big brother” of the soldier is the army Y. M. C. A. It does more probably to keep Uncle Sams’ army a clean body of men than all other forces combined. Of course there are other organizations that are doing the same kind of work but the “Y” is the best of them all.
The government itself encourages and furnishes many kinds of amusements for the men in khaki. All kinds of sports such as baseball, boxing and other athletic contests help to make life worth while for the man who is training to go over there.
Another side of the soldiers’ life has been provided for in the camp libraries and liberty theatres. At these theatres good shows are seen for the sum of 25 cents, or if you are lucky enough to possess a smileage book from a friend at home your quarter can stay in your pocket. There is plenty of clean entertainment provided for Uncle Sam’s men without their going into forbidden territory.
The national army is composed of men right out of civil life, men who think of home often, and it is well that they think of home often. Their thoughts of home make these men strong enough to be master of every desire. While thinking of home as something worth fighting for these men become strong in every way. They’ll show it too when they really get into the big scrap “over there.”
NOTES: This letter was written by Corporal Buford Reid serving with Company H, Third Regiment at Camp Pike, Arkansas. The letter was dated July 31.
TRANSCRIBED BY: ISAAC WOLTER