Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-08-09
Chaplain With Nebraska RegiS
ments Returns to Home II
Hastings After Fov
Weeks on Borde ~
CAMP IN EXCEL APE
Will Soon Deliver Nsolic Ad-
dress on Conditions as
Found Them.
KEPT BUSY SORTING MAI

|
National Guardsmen on the Mexican
border is the opinion of Bishop George
Allen Beecher, who has returned from
service as chaplain with the Fourth
and Fifth regiments of Nebraska,
The bishop has decided to speak on
the morals of the guardsmen and the
general conditions of the camp at
Llano Grande, Tex, at his home, 92l
North St. Joseph avenue, at 7:30
o'clock Wednesday evening. The par
ents, relatives and friends Of Hast
ings guardsmen are cordially invited
to come to the bishops home and
listen to what he may have to say
of the boys at the front.
Loses Thirty Pounds.
The bishop has lost close to thirty
pounds since he encamped with the
guardsmen on the border four weeks
ago. He only weighs about 207 pounds
at the present time and is covered with
a fine healthy coat of tan. He de-
clares he is now in first class fighting
trim
THE government" declared the
bishop, "has done everything possible
to keep the morals of the soldiers on
the border at high standard. So
far the officials have succeeded but it
will soon be up to the boys to show
their manhood by resisting the temp
tation that is sure to fall in their
paths" -. II
No saloons or houses of i'll repute
are allowed within radius OF three
miles from the camp, stated the
bishop. There is only one place on the
outskirts of Mercedes, the Texas town
three miles from Llano Grande, where
liquor can be secured. This is a beer
saloon and no other intoxicants are
sold.
| Saw No Intoxication.
During the four weeks l was with
the boys" said the bishop, u never
saw one intoxicated soldier. ! never
4 even saw one who showed any signs
fof being under the Influence OF
liquor"
| Food and the sanitary conditions
are Of the best, reported Bishop
Beecher., Practically the only illness
that the boys have suffered since en-
camping on the border is from ty-
phoid incubation. Every soldier is IN
oculated three times as typhoid pre-
ventative. One of three always made
the soldier sick; some of the boys
being in the hospital for several days.
Bishop Beecher was i'll five days.
Llano Grande is located three miles
from Mercedes. The soil at the point
of encainpment is sandy, which makes
for excellent drainage. The boys have
their tents entrenchcd and perfect
system of drainage has been worked
out for the camp. Although there are
heavy rains falling almost daily dur
ing this season the grounds are kept
dry. The boys now have cots, which
they lacked upon their arrival at
camp.
Everything Burned.
Every morning after breakfast a
thorough inspection is made. The
men and their equipment, the tents
and grounds are inspected, the cook,
his utensils and even his appearance
is taken note of, said the bishop. In
cinerators of brick have been erected
to burn all the refuse coming from
the cooks tent and, in fact, anything
that is not wanted in and about the
camp.
There are very few flies at camp,
reported the bishop, but the boys are
being troubled with millions of small
gnats. These little pests are said to be
a temporary nuisance, however.
Food is Wholesome.
The food, said the bishop, is simple
but wholesome and there is plenty of
it. The officers Of the Fifth regiment
have divided themselves into small
groups to eat with the pgivates. There
is no officers mess, the latter eating
the same food and from the same cook
shacks serving the privates.
1T is pretty hard" remarked the
bishop, 'to smile and say that you had
fine meal today, but the food is all
that reasonable man could expect
under the circumstances"
On the menu of the camp can be
found coffee, good bread, beans, ba-
con, hardtack, plenty of potatoes, fresh
meat three times week, plenty of
lemonade, ice tea and other necessi-
/ ties. Each company is issued 1870
pounds Of ice day.
Company G Complimented.
The bishop reported that Major
huffman, chief inspecting officer,
complimented Captain Hanlen OF
Company G (Hastings) Tuesday, Au.
, gust |, on the appearance of his men
: and their equipment, the cleanliness
of the company kitchen, over which
Harry Haines presides, and on the
general condition of the quarters. The
Hastings boys are all feeling fine, but
many are impatient over inaction on
the border and are anxious to come
home. This inaction and the belief
!. that there isto be no actual service in
Mexico led the bishop to resign and
return to the duties of his diocese,
which under the circumstances~he be-
lieved to be of more importance.
| Married Men Released.
The majority of the married men
among the guardsmen have made ap-
plication for discharges and will prob
ably receive them from the govern
ment, thought the bishop.
Hospital conditions were poor when
the bishop first arrived at camp, He
went to work on the job of bcttering
Continued on Page, Two, Column Three.)