The Washington herald., 1917-03-31
Army and Navy News
Best Service Column In City.

| A portable foot and motor power ma
chine to nail half soles on shoes for
troops In post and in field IN being
tested by the quartermaster general OF
the army.
The machine being used will nail on
the half sole In i've minutes. II weighs
only q pounds. and can be carried along
for each regiment with the half-soles in
the supply trains. The entire command
can be reached with good substantial new,
half-soles in few hours. This will keep
the command on 'whole-soles' until the
upper art of the shoe is worn out or until
the command gets to permanent camps.
where new shoes can be issued.
Gen Sharp believes that by this mech
anism the army in the field will be kept
In possession OF serviceable footrear
which Will be contribution to military
eff1ciency. Reports from Texas indica 70
satisfaction with the new model OF army
maching shoe, 600 pairs of which were
sent to the Southern Department for
test and observation.
ihe new shoe is combination OF the
French army and Belgian army shoe and
VIII be built on the so-caled Munson last
Designed oy Lieut.. Col. z. A. Munson, of
the Army Medical Corps. 1t Is heavier
anu more rugged In appearance than the
present army shoe. with improvements in
the lining. which is smoother and IN thn
tongue; with a single strap of leather in
the sole from toe to heel. with hob nails
on the bottom of the sole; and with beoI
plates. "
/ betore hnal adoption. however. the now
shoe Will be made in sufficient nI,antitiou
10 nave the proposed type tried under
service conditions by at least a battalion
y. ihlanCry ana several troops of cavalry
IL Is desired to obtain the reports ana
suggestions Of officers as a resnIt - IT,
actual experience with the shoe in Tho
neld under as complete OPPORTUNITIES ~
test as are possible BY that tin,o .I,o
war Department will have ascort,inoI
the resources Of manufacturers at ron
sonable prices in sufficient ouantIties 70
equip the army.
The ordnance Department of the Army
mas prepared tentative standard snocj.
| ncations as basis for the requirement
OF new armored motor car rba
specifications are based on exnari,,,onta
conducted by the Army in Texas anJ
! elsewhere anu
The outht prescribed is of the medium
weight type, the total weight ~ tha 90 -
completely equipped with oil. easol,ne
and water. and including guns and am.
munition' not to exceed $500 pounds The
car will mount one machine eun IN a
IL
| ameter The gun mount will bn -,
type operated on the principle or the
universal joint, and fixtures will no nro-
Vlded Tor connecting the mount either TO
the Vickers, Lewis, or Benet run as
used in the United States service
Provision will be made in the car for
carrying one extra gun and three spare
barrels. The main portion of the car
body will have sufficient capacitv IN
accommodate three men, not less than
Soo POUNDS OF ammunition In belts or
magazines, and will permit the convent
ent operation Of the gun at all angles
from approximately minus 10 to plus 90
degrees. Three tanks with a total ca
pacity Of thirty gallons of gasoline will
be placed on the car. The wheels will
be Of the wire type equipped with air
less tires, and the wheel rims will be
drilled for tire stems so that pneumatic
tires suitable for the rims NAV be psed
it desired.
The War Department will NOT cons,der
this year any more applications for
transfer Of Army officers from one arm
to another. 1t has been found necessary
to reject all applications filed since jan
uary 20, notwithstanding that the trans
fers to be made will not take effect until
after July 1. and the number to be au-
thorized will depend upon the second
increment OF Army increase. It has not
yet been decided, and will not be for
some time, how many vacancies will be
reserved In each arm. 1t Is believed that
the number of transfers will be between
eighty and ninety. with most Of ths