Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-03-28
ARMY UNIFORM CHANGE
American Soldiers Will Be the
Boys In Green.
TO DON OLIVE DRAB AFTER JULY !

The New Color was Adopted Because
of It's Invisible Q~uaIity-The on
GERS Are to Wear Congress Caters
and shoe straps on Their Trousers.
Hats to Have Higher Crowns.
on July / the boys in blue, who
have stood for the honor and dignity
Of the United States almost from the
time the government was formed, are
TO be succeeded by the boys in green,
says the Kansas CITY Times. Orders
recently issued by the uniform com
mission Of the war department, which
prescribed q new uniform for officers
and men, win on that day go into
effect. The chief change will be the
adoption of olive drab as the uniform
color, but In other respects there will
be a difference.
Walter +. Sugar, the representative of
a shoe manufacturing house of Wash
ington, recently vent to Fort Leaven-
worth, Kan, to take the measurements
Of the officers there for shoes. He also
visited the post at Fort Riley, Kan, on
q similar mission. One Of the pro-
visions of the order prescribes a regu-
lation shoe for the army officers.
The selection of olive drab for the
service uniforms was made because
that color is considered the one best
calculated to render troops invisible
when in contest with an enemy. Blue
will be retained for the dress uniforms.
The new service coat Is to be tight at
the waist and loose at the chest, the
regulations providing that 1t shall be
at least five inches in excess of the
chest measurement The trousers are
to be loose to the knee, tight below the
knee and laced from the knee to the
shoetops.
Heretofore there has. been no pre-
scribed shoe for officers, and each had
made his own selection. In the future
congress CATERS or side spring shoes"
as they are officially designated In the
order. the kind worn by officers OF the
British army, are to be used. These
shoes are Of one piece. slightly re-
sembling boots and have box spurs fas-
tened in the heels. The new hats for
the officers will have a higher and
broader crown than those now worn.
The new dress uniforms of the Off
GERS will include two innovations. The
lettering ~. s." is to be taken from
the collars and pins representing the
coat of arms of the United States sub
stituted. The suggestion of this change
at first met with opposition because
of the fact that the letters gave no
chance for doubt regarding the nation
for which the uniform stood, while the
great majority of people, ven of the
United States, are u~nacquainted with
the coat of arms,
But the other change in the dress uni
form will be even more striking. The
rousers worn by the officers are to be
equipped with straps slipped over the
shoes, in keeping with the conception
of Uncle Sam which the c~artoonists
have given the public. Officers in flu
ture must forego the practice Of ppll-
ing up the rouSeTs at the knee Wien
seating themselves. and the danger of
bagging will be increased.
THE suggestion that green be adopt
ed as the color for service uniforms
was made by an officer shortly after
the close of the civil war, ! think
said MIR. Sugar. The opposition to
his plan was very pronounced, chiefly
because of the large amount of senti-
ment which attached TO the army blue
and which grew SO very strong during
the war, Now. however. it is recog-
nized that the change will be a wise
one. 1t was recommended, ! think. by
General CoFbin. General Young and
General Wood after their trip abroad.
Uniforms of this color were worn by
the British in their war with the Beers"