The Washington herald., 1916-07-16
SEEN AND HEARD
BY GEORGE MINER


New York, July I5.-For several days every
New York newspaper carried a front page story
detailing the hardships of the Seventh and
Seventy-hrst regiments of the New York National
Guard while en- route to the border Before they
started 1t was asserted that they were to travel
in Pullman sleeping cars, but when the start
was MADE no sleeping available and so
they were transported in ordinary day coaches
of the old-fashioned wooden type with vesti-
ouies They did not get the modern steel
coaches.
An agonizing howl went up. The press Shrek
ed in headlines with letters an inch high APP
parently 1t was the most outrageous thing that
has happened since Judge Hughes wore whiskers.
Inc idea OF those nice boys of the Seventh not
having berths to sleep in with mattresses and
sheets and pillows!
And 1t took those 1900 nice boys exactly a
day and a half to find out that it was possible
to take the backs from the seats and lay them
down so that there was a continuous bunk the
whole length OF each side Of the car. OF course
then It was easy to lie down and get much
more comfortable bed than any troopers in Mex
ico are now enjoying. But they let it go "ss
was for one night and tried to sleep sitting up.
Then 1t occurred to them that it was UP to the
Seventh Regiment to do little shifting for itself.
for not having made the cars over to suit the
regiments needs. OF course the railroad could
have done it, but there was no reason why the
regiment could not have done it ten minutes after
it got aboard.
Then | noticed among the other hardships emu
merated was the fact that one man had to dip
MS cup into tank to get water to shave with !!
He will be mighty lucky if he finds any tank in
Mexico to dip his cup into. He won't complain
OF having to dip it. And he will forget all about
his present deepseated belief that no water should
be used for any purpose unless it is drawn from
running faucet.
Also the papers complain that there were not
kitchen cars attached to each train and that
kitchens had to be improvised in ordinary cars
set aside for that purpose. I don't know what
kitchen car is except the specially built mess
car that travels with circus train and there are
only three Of those in the country. Unless the
newspapers mean Pullman dining cars which have
small kitchen at end. 1t would take about
SIX OF those cars to serve food to each regiment
Turning car into cook car was the only
practical thing to do and that's just what was
done.
There were also good many columns print
ed lamenting the fact that the food was not
good enough for the Seventh Be that as it
may 1t was probably not particularly varied or
daintily served. | have seen no complaints that
1t was not wholesome. What else could be
expected? The regiment went to war, to rough
it. They not going on a weekend outing
or to garden party.
The fact is that the whole American nation
is too luxurious in its mode Of life We are
willing to rough it, but want. to rough it de
luxe. ~
The government attempted to mobilize a
paper strength OF about 10000 troops in a
hurry.
1t took exactly nine days to assemble, equip,
swear in and start for the Texas border less
than 10000 troops.
At the beginning Of the European war, Ger
many modified, equipped and started for the
frontier 100000 troops in less than six days
France mobilzed equipped and started for the
front 100000 troops in less than eight days
Our resources, our population and our money
are much greater than those Of either France
or Germany. However, they did not wait for
sleeping cars to transport the soldiers in They
rode in freight cars ordinary box cars without
even straw the floor to sleep on and thew
had not even improvised kitchen car. Each
group Of soldiers cooked their mess as best
they could, and l doubt not would have been
very glad to have been supplied with canned
TODD at which our soldiers turn up their noses
have the highest admiration for the loy-
atty and patriotism and bravery OF our BOYS.
They are the best in the world, but it is not
yet time for the press to begin to moan about
their hardships
In discussing this subject Gen Wood said
he was surprised to hear there was any COM
plant about the accommodation or the food
The Seventh got what everybody got" he
said. Anybody who has seen European troops
transported in freight cars, all marked Sixteen
horses or th1rty-two men, will feel surprised at
SO much clamor about travelling in mere day
coaches.