The Washington herald., 1916-12-23
Army and Navy News
Rest Service Column IN City

Citizen soldiers trained under the sys-
tenn applied at the Plattsburg training
camp would learn as much In six months
as could be obtained from a year and a
half of service in the regular army. ac-
eSrdiIS SSn TotS to statement issued by MAJ
III anyone stated that citizen soldiers
shoulb be year and a half in the regu-
lar army" he said. at would be considc
cred an excessively long period, and yet
we are going to give them just as much
In six months, and give 1t under condi-
tions In which they would come out with
their Information much better assimi-
lated.
1T must be remembered we are not in
tending this citizen soldiery as large
staHding army ready for aggression at
moments notice, but what we are work
ing for is a citizenry trained to a reason
able degree Of efficiency in arms SO that
the nation can rise and render efficient
service in its own defense.
When We speak of six months, refer
ence is made only to the private soldier
and to the noncommissioned officer. Com
missioned officers will require a longer
and different type of training which fits
for leadership. and every inducement
must be made to maintain our reserve
ofhcers on permanent status. also the
senior grade OF noncommissioned officers.
There will be no difficulty what
ever in accomplishing our purpose in
six months of intensive work once
the system Is in full operation. This
can be depended upon as being beyond
question.
1T isn't living in uniform under an
enlistment contract that makes a
trained soldier; it's the amount of
work he does"
Covered with ice from stem to
stern. the battleships Utah and Flor
ida few days ago passed inside the
Virginia capes after having been bat
tered about and driven of their
course by what their officers describe as
the worst storm they had ever been
| through. according to advices received
at the Navy Department
Eight ships-the Utah, Florida,
Connecticut. Texas. Oklahoma. and
three auxiliaries-left Norfolk Decem-
ber IS for the Southern drill grounds
for maneuvers. and later were to go
to Provincetown for a war game.
None of the ships reached Province
town-probably the first time in the
history of the American navy that
fleet Of American ships has failed to
reach its destination.
on the drill grounds a storm
caught the ships and compelled them
to abandon maneuvers. They lay to
for fve hours. then put out to sea.
The further they went the worse the
storm became. The wind reached
ninety miles an hour. seas broke all
over the ships. forming ice on the gun
turrets and over the decks, and the
ships pitched and rolled SO that the
men could not sleep in their ham
mocks. One minute the seas buried
! the ships. the next they were left
clear between the huge waves.
Saturday the wind subsided and the sun
broke through the clouds. Observations
showed the ships of the southern coast
of Nova Scotia.
Several British ships were sighted. so
caked with ice as almost completely to
hide them from passing vessels. but they
did not communicate with the American
ships.
The placing of the army veterinary
service under the direction OF the medical
department is not so radical change as 1t
may have appeared to some on its face
Although the Quartermaster Corps in the
past has purchased most of the supplies
needed for the veterinary service, the
medical department has aided materially.
purchasing some medicines outright and
Inspecting others for the Quartermaster
Corps. The surgeon general now is en-
powered to make all the purchases of
medicines and appliances for use in the
veterinary service.