Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-29
BY CARL L. ZEISBERG
Evenino Ledoer star Correspondent


Ell PAso. Tex, July 2s.-TelegrA
have been sent from headquarters of
Pennsylvania division to Pennsylvanf8a1
representatives in Congress, asking them To-
have passed in Congress Joint resolution
authorizing retention Of the ordnance ON.
GERS and inspectors Of small arms, the divi.l
sion offices having been abolished by the
Hay-Chamberlain army bill. According to-
the bill, the dozen or more officers Affected
are to be honorably mustered out Of the J
service next Monday
The action was taken by Generaik
Clement and his advisers after a con-
ference at division headquarters which
lasted until late hour last night Nearly 4
every staff officer attended. They and the
brigade and regimental commanders who
were present unanimously indorsed the
kilograms which pointed out the value Of
the officers about to be lost to the army
and urged immediate action to secure their
services.
Senators Penrose and Oliver and th,I|
Pennsylvania Congressman were asked a.
use their influence. Hope was expressed
that the Senators and Representatives of#
other States whose National Guard walv
similarly affected would Join the movement
to amend the army bill so as to retain the
officers in question.
Whatever action, however swift, 10
rushed through, apparently there exists
no hope that mastering out of the ordnance
officers and inspectors will not be carried
out according to schedule next Monday.
The War Department has ruled that the
offices are to be vacated Should Congress
authorize the recreation Of the offices, the
deposed officers will first be enlisted and
then appointed to their old positions
MEM APE NEEDED
Every officer, from General Clement
down. pointed out the need for the men
about to be lost Ten first lleutenants
were furnished by the division as comman-
ders OF motortruclS trains for General Per-
shing's supply train and one first lieuten-p
ant was transferred from the line to taksS
charge of the divisions truck company.
The officers In question ar, needed, not
only for the rifle practice that has just be-
gun. but for general duty, army men pointed
out. Many of them are officers Of long
standing, with excellent records. The folly
of deposing them and sending them home
was emphasized.
Inspection of the entire division of the
Pennsylvania troops by General Clement be-
gan today with the battalion of signal
troops. The men were drilled before the
division commanders eyes, after which q
thorough inspection of their technical and
personal equipment was made. Inspection
of the infantry will begin Monday with the
Eighth Regiment. = ''.-; .'''.t
Lieutenant Colonel Kemp formerly of the
United States army. who acted as chief
officer at the Mount Gretna mob
ilizatlon camp, visited division headquar-
ters and mingled with his Pennsylvania
friends. He has been assigned to the Eighth
Cavalry. 'r.r
SATURDAY INSPECTION.
Regular Saturday inspection was the
order OF the morning. The improvement in
equipment over that OF last weeks inspec-
ton was noticeable in nearly every COM
pany street. Most of the regiments dis
played new Shoes new shirts, new trous-
ers-a spick and span alignment of
bronzed soldiers clothed in spiclS-and-span
that Uncle Sam is pro-
viding for his nephews. '''
The first day of train service between Ell
Paso and Camp Stewart was Justification
70 the venture. Nearly two hundred pleasure
bent and business-bent soldiers clambered on
board the first Of the shuttle trains that are
spinning the desolate distance between tent
and city. The last train that left Ell Paso
at IL o'clock last night was loaded to the
scuppers. with nearly a score of painting
privates. laden with packages of candy and
cigarettes, oranges and ginger ale, dashing
madly but vainly after the departing
coaches. They hiked the ten or twelve miles
to camp through the darkness.
AS a result of the train service, the bars
at Fort Bliss are less brilliantly lighted,
the tin pianos throb more mournfully and
the silence of the shooting gallery 10
broken by very few rifle cracks 1t was
a wise move that shuttle train.