Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-18
TRAINING CAMP is
TESTER OF METAL
Hubbard l.. Doolcy OF KoCk Island De-
scribcs Routine OF Military Camp
nj ptatt~buTE.
GREAT PREpAREDNFsS MACHINE
More than Seven Thousand citizens
Hard nj Work Learning HOW 10
Serve Their Country.

Plattsburgh. \. Y, July To- Editor
Argus: Without a doubt the Platts-
burg military training camp is the
greatest preparedness" machine IN
the United states. BY the time taps
sounded on the evening ST July ), ','oV
Of the best citizens OF this nation com
menced a month Of training that Will
have been the first steps OF prepafd-
r50n should the time ever come to rem
der efficient service to their country.
on Tuesday the first attendants OF Inc
5uuior camp dTiftcd in, more IMAM
three thousand enthusiastic young
sters. representing practically every
college east of the Mississippi. Later
III the week the older men arrived, ana
they were Just as enthusiastic as IAe
youngsters.
Among the things that stand out 50
prominently in camp IS the sincerity
ri nurnose. likewise the intellectual
and physical fitness Of the lndlNlduaI
recruits. The first few days have de
welcomed q mutual admiration society,
the members Of which are the 'regu-
lars" (men who have seen seTYICe) on
the one side and the recruits on Jhe
other Cooperation is the keynote
Among such q large number CONFUSION
is conspicuous by its absence, Favored
nv deIiehtful weather the work has
been taken up in deep earnest ana eV-
ervb0dv is cheerful and happy
Thursday morning our first day OF
actual work. all available drill space
was filled Some organizations with
rifles, some without, some men Sun III
their civilian clothes, white SHIRTS,
straw hats. with gay colored bands
They came in the evening too late 70
make ARRANGEMENTS for uniforms ana
did not want TO take chance on get
ting behind by missing the first lesson.
Medical examination continued
throughout Thursday Ny entire com
Danv marched to the armOry, where
each man was carefully examined by
q CORPS Of army doctors and physl-
clans In very few cases were men
turned down for physical defects. To
dav the first administration of the ty-
phoid prophylactic viii be given. Inc
administration of this serum has beeh
the means Of practically eradlcatlhS
the dread camp disease from the army
and now it is seldom that case IS
ever encountered.
Not a Soft Snap.
4 good many coming to this camp
thought that it was going to be very
nice soft snap. not much work and
and swap stories, but after the first
day every one found out different, and
possibly some wish they were home.
From the first call at 5:45 a. IN. until
D. m. it's work with few minutes to
spare If this wasn't Sunday morning
| no doubt would not be writing this
letter Everything is conducted with
the strictest military discipline and
few try TO shirk their duty. The first
two days of drill were possibly the
most trying of all When one remem-
bers that the men here are not accus-
toned TO hard physical exercise you
no doubt do not wonder that the ma
jority come in at night tired, sore feet
blistered, necks sunburned and many
too tired to wash up-but not too tired
to eat. Every one has an appetite.
While the food isn't what one would
call luxurious it is good and whole
some and sticks to the ribs, and the
mess call is always d welcome sound
The camp here is ideally located,
Just a stones throw from Lake Cham
plain, where one, if one had the spare
time, could enjoy the excellent boating
and bathing
Many summer resorts line the lake.
Not far from camp is the beautiful HO-
tel Champlain- Quite a few of the