Evening journal., 1915-07-17
Color EXPERTS MAY
MAKE ARMY PHANTOM
Dye Scarcity Forces Officers
to Experiment With New
Shades For Uniforms
NATURAL WOOL
is THE BASIS

PHILADELPHIA. Pa, July H.
Scarcity Of dyestufs Of the shades nee
essary for the olive drab has made it
necessary for the War Department 10
experiment on an entirely new color for
the uniforms of the United States Army.
The experiments are being carried on
by Major Ienrose, depot quartermaster
OF Schuylkill Arsenal and officials Of the
Ordnance department. at Washington.
Considerable mystery surrounds the new
shade. being Experimental upon II is
called Nv army officers "tuckey." a word
that no definition either in dictionary
or encyclopedia can shed light upon. 1t
is obtained from the natural color of
wool and is a sort of smoky gray.
The advisability of aholishing the old
blue uniform even Tor dress also Is being
considered. The. blue uniform has been
part Of the traditions of the army for
many years. but being impractical, is
worn only on dress occasions in garri-
| sons. Blue furnishes a distinct target
for the enemies rihemen, while the olive
drah. which is the color of the service
uniforni, is Of a neutral shade and har-
monizes with the general color tone of
] the background
The new shade * a natural color and
its adoption will do away with the ne
cesity for dye-stuifs. The proposed in
novation IS said to be not only an int
lproyement on the olive drab, but better
than the famous bluish-gray of the Ger
mans. This color also was considered
but to clothe the boys in blue in gray
Uniforms similar to those worn by the
Confcderates would probably irritate am
old sore, and officials of the army deemed
lit hest to eliminate this shade from the
eligible eolors
BY the use of this "tuckey'' # is said
that an army can be transformed into
a phantom host almost invisible to the
enemy. They will merge into their
! surroundings and be able to avoid the
enemy's watchful eyes in a manner
truly ghostly.
Another feature of the uniform
which is appealing to those who are
considering Il is its wearing qualities.
Because Of its peculiar shade. ordinary
dirt will be invisible on IT, A soldier
can pass through a day Of rough drill
ing and emerge looking as clean as
! Wnen ne started.
In abolishing the blue dress uniform
the War Department hopes to reduce
the expenditures for clothing by a fig-
ure of something like s2000,000 a
year This is regarded as a fitting
climax to a policy Of economy, which
during the last few years has brough.
about a great reduction in the cost of
clothing Uncle Sans soldiers. Dur
ing It all, however. they have re-
NAMED the best dressed soldiers in
the world, and officials say they viii
continue TO do so.
Il is planned to have only one uni
b form. This is % be adaptable to all
conditions and climates. BY the ad
dition of cords and ornaments. 1t can
readily be changed into q neat dressy
uniform for ceremonies and dress.
Olive drab as a neutral color for a
uniform. despite the care that was
exercised in mixing il, is not regard
ed as being as efficient as II ought Ia
be- In the woods OF fields II is in
visible. but under other conditions Il
produces a silhouette or sharp out
line. It was obtained by taking tho
color impression of the green grass
and trees the yellowish brown of dirt
and dried grass and leaves and the
gray tone of stones.
The change occurred shortly after
the Spanish American war and was
confined at first to a wooden service
uniform. while a summer uniform
of yellow Khaki was worn in hot
weather or in torrid climates. Later
the khaki was made in the olive drah
color The various shades necessary
to produce olive drab are obtained
from dye imported from Germany. So
scarce is this becoming that when the
Government advertises the next time
for bids 1t is expected that only a
small portion of the required amount
of cloth will be available
At the present time the United
State soldiers can obtain their cloth
ing in any size They can obtain
from the Schuylkill Arsenal a uni
form that will fit ready-made as good
as a tailored article.