Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1916-04-20
THE BOYS IT KHAKI
PATIENT ENDURANCE
Distance Travelled Since Rio
Grande Was Passed--Hardship
Endured.
INGENUITY OF SOLDIERS.
Ancient Town of Juarez Separated
Physically and GOvernmentaIly
From EI Paso.
Especial 10 the Evening Capital. by
lean Cahell O-NIeiIl

iCo reviewer OF the presence OF the tni-
ted States soldiers viii take into con
sideraticn the distance they have pene-
trated, and not hustle them too much
/ in the matter OF withdrawal" said an
officer AT Fort Bliss this morning when
discussing the topic of most absorbing
interest to seemingly everyone. the de
mand Carranza makes on Washington
"0f course il is very likely that ad-
ministraiioa officials will ind ii agree
able to respond to this demanl. but the
boys will have woeful time Of IT, if
too early a date of evacuation is ar
ranged. all seem 10 agree. The dis
tance travelled since the Rio Grande
was passed by the boys in Kahki has
been a weary endurance test-and if
the date set for withdrawal is not at
some distance in the future, great
hardship and possibly death viii come
TO those who have so far comported
themselves splendidly. The entire
campaign has been a most arduous one
for the soldier boys of Uncle sam and
it, Wouh hardly seem fair to bring
them back again at double quick time
over the trail. Time enough TO make
a ieisurely return trip should certainly
be granted, if Washington decided &c
accede 10 the suggestion. or demand.
according as one views it, on the part
OF Carranza This is the consensus OF
opinion at Fort Bliss today.
The rank and file among the soldiers
seem rather relieved that Carranza has
made the demand becauset this action
viii permit the recall of the thousands
of men who are dangerously far from
home. and Uncle Sam can save his face
in the doing of it. Sickness and hun
ger is facing the men in the thin lines
and many fear that the soldiers viii
find themselves cut off from a north
ern retreat and in a position-of having
to fight back all the way This with
out supplies will be a dreadful position
which will ruin the present good ef-
feet of-the punitive expedition
Or W. l.. Brown. who reached here
last night after a wild ride to Casas
GraEies to Join in consultation with
Army physicians in the case of Lieut.
Colonel Tyree Rivers. who is suffering
from pneumonia at that place, and to
bring him to Fort Bliss for treatment.
if possible, because of the roads, SAYS
the maintaining of motor travel after
the rain sets in will be an impossible
ity and the rain is so long overdue. ii
may come at any tine. Parts of the
new trail lies for miles through de
pressions which will flood with the
mountain torrents. and be impossible
for any sort of truck. Stretches OF ten
miles of this level are not common and
the Doctor should know what he is
talking about for he rushed off in a
circus train to Columbus. n. NJ thence
by motor Mt high speed on AN erran1
of mercy.
When the trucks cease to run. the
Army viii suffer extremely. and the
sick. even if there are no woundoi win
suffer bitterly ] have seen many Of
these returned soldiers during my stay
az Fort Bliss, and it will probably sur
prise the public to know than an hun
dred a day was the average of cases
brought over from Columbus at first.
but now the Army is so far away the
cases are not coming in so rapidly
Even so the hospitals are overtaXed
and old barracks are being rapidly
transformed into wards for the recep-
tion of the fever and other victims Of
the march over the hills ami far away
Dr. Brown further told of the inge-
nuity Of the soldiers in making their
thin covering sufficient for the night
8 trench two feea deep, five by six feet
is dug inside the tent on reaching
camp and lined with dried grass. and
three soldiers sleep in this shallow
grave with their three blankets spread
above. Il is to be hoped they are
quiet sleepers. in such rigid formation
rs they are supposed TO rest
There are many New York and
BROOKLYN boys at the front or down
the side, as the soldiers call the battle
formation It is said the city boy
make the best soldiers They fit iu
quickly and are quick in emergency.
1t is rather pathetic how they ell long
70 talk about home three minutes after
the soldier finds YOU are a stranger.
1e will jell YOU where he halls from
and in few minutes more he tells he
story OF his life. especially about
mother" One boy, with a strong
German accent asked if Coney Island
was just as grand as it used to be. and
sighine said I'm one year and seven
days maybe | viii be back in Brook
lyn again"
The citizens are being appealed 10
for fruit and reading matter for the
soldiers. who are we'll enough TO read.
and they respond nobly. One auto car
riel over two bushels of fruit daily and
the donor is not known. The Colonel
in charge Of the hospital has sent q
petition ta the women of the officers
families asking aid IL getting mp food
foI the SICK soldiers. rs for The present
II is IL possible 10 supply them from
the mess kitchens the amount required
wandered Over u Mexico 10 ihc au-
cient town OF JUarea, which Is scpara-
tol physically and govcrpmentally
from III Paso by m international
bridge. q sort of dead line Beyond
one cannot pass without q thorough
explanation of WHY This barrier is
euarded at one end by rickety shack
from which the de facto soldiers give
one the once over" before permission
40 invade Mexico is obtained.
Although but i've minutes distanf