The Washington times., 1916-04-17
7roopsin Mexico Wear
Nondescript Clothing

Ell PASo. April 1T.--Ciothing Is be-
coming a matter OF as much necessity
with the American arr1y in Mexico as
food. Tho Inen in tho far advance in
the trailing OF Pancho Villa have In
many cases worn out everything they
took In with them
Some have eN en- torn their undercloth-
ing to the skin, In the brushy, rough
country through which they have been
riding. Many ore wearing sandals on
their feet. 80
They have kept so far in advance OF
the supply trains that 1t has been i'm
possible to fit them with shoes aud the
trucks have teen able to do until very
recently was transport food FOR men
and horses. .'....
, In a number of instances wen have
been left by the flying SQUADRON at the
4 number OF extra hoIses and mules
have been sent In to the army from the
base at Columbus, but these have not
been sufficient t. rerlace all the ant
mails killed, ma'med. or worn out by
The men necessary TO leave behind
because az lack Of mounts. have will
lingly surrendered the hest Of their
clothing to the men who kept Il the
of the men at the advance bases are a
nondescript lot. not Mt all inclined to
longer laugh at the lack of uniformity
OF tho clothing OF Mexican soldiers they
have 10 often seen on the border.
Infantrymen Fare Better.
The infanIrymcn have fared better N
the matter OF clt theE than the cavalry
men, because thcy have not had such
difficult traillnG t. do. but many nt the
"doughboys" ore ont cf shoes. or vir-
tually 50, and the task of Rhoelng an
army is n lard one, much harder than
tho task of clothing them.
A man can wear a rair OF trousers or
a blouse or a sl.irt that Is too large for
him II the latest consignment 10 reach
the front fnppens not TO coniain his
measure. but pair Of shoes must Mt
better. and the task VI supplying foot
COVERINGS is one that ,s; hss puzzled the
Either too large. or too small. shoe
does the same damsGc " man has
any walking to DO, aud even thu cav
alrymen. EenGtTetinE tho rouEhest
have been compelled 10 dismount at
many places and lead their horses along
lodges that seemed impossible for any
thing bigger cr less sure footed than
20 the credit OF the troopers and
horses Of the American army, not a
horse has been lost in this manner. II
is declared, although many OF the horses
have been disabled permanently as a
result of stumbling over rocks In roads
less dangerous.
Shipments OF forage for the horses
over the railroad from Juarez to Casas
GTandes by private individuals hai
largely relieved the situation for the
men generally. as II has permitted tht
truck trains to carry down some very
badly needed clothing, and also to ado
tn each load few of the deIicacieI
| which men crave when forced to sub
sist upon coarse rations for any Length
| OF time.
Canned Fruit and Candy.
Canned peaches and pears and sticI
and chocolate candles have been shipped
IN large quantities during the last rev
days, and these have afforded feasti
such as few of the soldiers have eveI
| enjoyed so heartily.
TrnoD and company mPsses. livinl
upon the scanty rations obtainable whei
they first entered Mexico, were entitled
TO buy literally from their company
| funds OF these sweets, and most OF tn
| troops have received months pa
since reaching Mexico with ~ per cen
added for foreign service), so there wal
/ a big demand for all the sweets tina
reached any OF the camps.
Each consignment was carefully par
celed out by the base quartermaster q
| the various temporary forward bases s,
| that all the men in the. expedition
eventually would share In the treat,
| The sweets were more than a trea
for the men with the advance columns