The Tomahawk., 1916-09-07
Inefficient Officers to Go.

out, General E. M. Lewis, camp COM
mander, told officers at the first gen.
eral officers meeting since the camps
establishment. General Lewis said ne
will hold regimental commanders re-
sponsible for the efficiency Of their
respective officers and if the comman'
,ders fail to eliminate the inefficient.
steps would be taken to eliminate the
commanders
To Take Up Problems.
He said some of the regiments IN
camp have made progress, but others
have not done satisfactory work. He
enjoined the officers to remedy this
situation also.
General Lewis asked all officers to
take up Immediately small combat
problems for the men, stating that II
the troops are ordered into Mexico
the battles will be with small units.
He announced target practice in
this camp will begin at once. Four
hundred men can fire at once on the
range and about four regiments can
be cared for daily.
Must Keep Up Appearance.
General Lewis urged the officers to
take steps to keep the men clean and
we'll appearing, and ordered them TO
make acquisitions at once for such
clothing as necessary.
He said the general appearance OF
the men had improved before the re-
cent tropical storm, but the men have
been "backsliding" since, due he
thought to the dirty manual labor nee
sary to drain the camp.
The general ordered the officers to
see that every man in camp is pro-
vided with mosquito bars to prevent
an epidemic of dengue fever, which,
he said, has reached Mercedes from
Brownsville.
The general also asked the officers
in the brush surrounding the camp
and to bring all Offenders to trial
"Only good luck has prevented some
one from being killed." he said.
X X X
Men Build Mess Halls.
The camp of the Firs!. Minnesota re-
sembles a city addition just after
big real estate boom. Skeletons OF
frame buildings break the monotony
of lines and lines of drab tents, SOL
diers and mule teams and motor trucks
are hurrying lumber along Minnesota
avenue for other buildings and the
sound of the hammer is heard in the
land.
No, the militiamen are not build
ing houses to replace their tents. They,
that is those who have had some ex-
perience as carpenters and many who
have not, are constructing mess hous-
es. These buildings will serve at
kitchen and dining room and will be
fly proof. Each company will have it's
own "cafe" and there is a spirited con-
test on to be the first to complete it's
building. Company e Of St. Paul has
a slight advantage which the other
organizations are working hard to
overcome.
Captain Frank E. Reed, regimental
adjutant, has so far recovered from
the burns received Sunday night as to
be able to operate his typewriter
again. Captain Reed maintains that
he was attempting to adjust a gasoline
lantern when the explosion occurred.
Colonel Luce says that the adjutant
doubted the explosive qualities of the
brand of gasoline supplied and was
testing it with lighted match.
X X K
Second Minnesota Sergeant Dies.
H. E. Johnson, sergeant in Company
ding e. johnson, sergeant in Company
X, St. Peter, Of the Second Minnesota,
operation for appendicitis a week ago.
For a week previous to the operation
Johnson had been under treatment at
the regimental infirHa.y because OF
an abrasion on his leg, but not until
the day of the operation did he com.
plain Of the other trouble. He was
taken to the hospital Immediately,
but. it was found that gaLgrene had
set in. The soldier is survived by
his mother, a widow, and one brother.
The Third regiment spent part OF
the day on the target range at rifle
inspection and the First will take up
this work at once.
Dana Schmahl, son Of Secretary of
State Schmahl, has been elected sec.
ond lieutenant in Battery D.
X X X
Mules Rescue Trucks.
Twelve government motor trucks
carrying A and G companies of the
First Minnesota infantry to the Mer-
cedes pumping station at Progreso
stuck in the mud four miles south of
Mercedes. Wagons with mules were
sent to the relief Of the trucks and
extricated them after several hours
work. Major Matt Higbee, after look
ing at the roads, wanted permission to
haul the outfit by mule teams, but the
Brownsville headquarters said the trip
must be made by motor and IL mo-
tors started. 1t took three days for
the 1Q-mile trip.