Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-22
COL. RAUSCH OFF
FOR, MT. GRETNA
TO PREPARE CAMP
Quartermaster Of State Ma
tional Guard Sure Supplies
Will Follow Him
ORGANIZATION PERFECT

HARRISBURG, Pa, June 22.-when
Colonel Livingston v. Rarsch, as quarter
| master of the National Guard of Pennsyl-
vanla, left his office at the State Arsenal
| In Harrisburg to go to Mount Gretna to
prepare camp for the coming of the Ma
| tional Guardsmen, ordered out in response
| to the call Of President Wilson for troops
| to guard the Mexican border, he was alb
| solutely certain that the vast and varied
| supplies he would need would follow him
promptly in n steady and constant stream
| and in the order required.
| When the European war broke out cor
respondents of American newspapers In Ber-
| lin marveled at the system of the German
army, which permitted each man to re-
port to his armory, open a locker marked
| with his name and take therefrom COM
| plete equipment and at the rapidity with
| which the camp equipage was assembled
| and dispatched, each lot to Its own regiment
| and destination. But the German system
| eXcels in no way except in extent that of
the National Guard of Pennsylvania.
| The State arsenal in this city which at
| tained high state of organization under
the late Colonel Richardson, has been
greatly improved under the administration
of Colonel Rausch There is no guesswork
and no hunting In time of haste. System.
supplemented by well-trained and efficient
corps of employees, leaves nothing to chance.
Within an hour after an order TO entrain
is given the wagons are moving in steady
stream from the dTStHdl BEOulluS " luc
freight sidngs of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road, eight or ten squares distant. When
the new ground is added to the State Cap
itol Park armories and an arsenal Will be
located directly on a railroad siding, but In
the meantime well-organized wagon train
force loses little time in handling the equip
age.
In a new building now nearing compile
tion most of the infantry canvas is stored,
the remainder in large tents pending the
finishing touches now being put upon the
new structure. The tents and poles are
kept in moisture-proof, concrete bins, each
bin of sufficient size TO accommodate the
tentage of a regiment and each company's
equipment assembled so that at moments
notice it may be detached for seperate ship
ment Each bin is numbered and when
the tentage of any regiment or fraction of n
regiment is desired an army wagon Is
brought up In front of the bin and loaded.
This is followed by another, and another,
in a long line, until all is on its way to the
cars. A regiments tents can be loaded
without difficulty in an hour.
Much of the smaller equipage Is stored
in the main building nearby. Here. as
carefully catalogued and as easy to reach
and separate as the tents, are field ranges,
rifles. uniforms in large quantity cavalry
equipment of all sorts, raw materials, camp
supplies and soap. in boxes of 30 pieces and
bearing the brand of the State service.
The first floor of this building resembles
nothing so much as a great store. Here
In a few minutes may be assembled any
thing from a campaign hat and trousers to
a complete equipment for company or a
regiment, stored according to size and ar
ranged for quick handling
Broken lots are kept In stock TO NIL
emergency needs, such as companies IN the
field may require In the regular wear and
tear of camp life. but there are also huge
Quantities of supplies OF all kinds IN bulk, |
tba boxes marked with black paint as to |
contents, set away as precisely as card In |
dex systems will permit and even marked |
with their weight so as to allow weigh |
bills being issued by the railroads without |
the loss OF, time usually required for weigh |
ing shipments
William L. Hicks foreman in charge in
the absence of Colonel Rausch said in COM
menting on the system in use, I'VE never |
hunt for anything here. We know where /
n Is without asking, and we know the |
quantity and how to get II TO the desired
point in the least possible time"
This is verified by the fact that there has
been no hurry at the Arsenal since the
troops were ordered out
GLOW soon can you begin to ship?" asked
an anxious guard officer over the phone
last Sunday night,
.sWithin an hour, II you need the stuff,"
came back the reply.
And when the guardsmen reaeh camp on
saturday they will fnd Colonel Rauseh there
hafore them with their camp equipage all
an hand and ready to be set IN place.
REGULAR Army men attached 70 the state
c.uard have agreed that there is no more
complete nor better equipped armory even
IN tbe United States service than that OF
he pennsylvania militia at Harrisburg
preparedness, efficiency and system are
Colonel Rausch's watchwords.