Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-20
AUGUSTA LOCALS
GENERAL PRESSON
TELLS RO1AR|ANS OF
OEvENS VISIT
Please give me 1875. Central.

Please give me 1-S-5. Central.
Is this the Journals night editor?
Yes? Well. I'm here at the Augusta
House. where Bill Lawry and Ivan
Lang persuaded me TO come after dark
TO attend a Rotary club meeting. with
a talk by Adjutant General Presson,
and between o and the rest OF u.s.
I'm mighty glad / "Snuck away from
home, as Newton Newkirk says Tor L
had one of the best times since we USED
10 stay up nights in the old Hub o =
and write stories about the legislators
and sing My Old Kentucky Home.
Landlord Emerson. who is one of the
members. ushered about 50 into the
lining room fust after 6 O'Clock. 1
counted SO and Ivan Lang. who seems
to be the recording angel of the ounch.
said A. of them were members and the
balance guests. He ought to know
who is paying the bill.
They started in with singing some OF
their Rotary songs. having books with
tine words, though some of EN- made
their own tunes. President Samuel
Stewart wasn't able TO do full Justice
10 the menu. which was a fine one, be-
cause he had to keep calling on mem
bers TO answer some question or tell
EN- they were behind on some old as
sessment, but everyone called on mad
a good answer and everything went
along as smoothly as an o~ld-fashioned
husking bee. except there were no girly
but the mattresses and they had no
part III the program but bringing us
Tho oe,,H onS mora SrIrff u, aaf and
seeing that we ate it. Wasn't much
left.
The president. after coffee and light
ing of cigars. called on General Pres
son and he certainly got a fine recep-
ton. The general Was in good form
and voice. although he had Just got in
from a trip to Camp Devens at Aver.
Mass. and Washington, D. C.-though
soldiers are not supposed to ever be
tired.
The general said thai Governor MILL
ken had thought that an inspection
and report on the actual conditions al
Camp Devens. where the drafted men
from Maine were stationed, would do
much to relieve the great anxiety of
the parents and friends of the boys, SO
he vent. He found a wonderful city
that had grown up in the night. It
is q camp about % miles square and
big in all parts. It is a old place but
there is no real suffering. Most Of the
men have clothes enough and things
that are lacking are being rs pidly sup
piled. The buildings are built for per-
manency and will be roomv and COM
modious. built with every thought Of
the welfare, comfort and health of he
men.
II reported TO Gen. Hodges and
found a little but courteous and very
efficient military man. Telling him
my object and hat if there was any
criticism it would not be bla zoned
about. but made to him. he replied
that he wanted to know of ANYTHING
that appeared other than right and
It would be remedied. ! had no fault
finding when / got through that splen-
did camp.
Most of our Maine drafted men
nave been assigned to the 3O3d Heavy
Artillery and there ! went. meeting
Col. Cronklin. who showed me about.
Both he and the lieutenant colonel told
me that when they found they had been
assigned to the 303rd. they asked 10
nave the Maine men given them. I
went to Battery 4 mess and found
about 175 men eating. the place sound
ing like a beehive. but the sergeant's
attention" brought absolute silence.
The discipline obtained within a month
among those recruits is wonderful. I
found for dinner, pea soup, roast beef.
vegetable hash. bread, butter, coffee
and plum duff with syrup. And II was
good. ] found In the refrigerator but
ter, eggs, chicken, holonga sausage.
etc. The men are on garrison rations
and that enables them to save from
the issue and buy these extras.
II asked a sergeant from Machiaa
how things We're and he said thew got
plenty of food ard to wear and were
, satisfied, 7 found three cooks, all from
Maine. Thirty per cent. OF the bovs
are from New Hampshire and 70 from
Maine. Every man almost of the first
. per cent. made cooks and the best
cooks in that or any other camp. T
went to another mess. an officers. and
found them eating just the same as he
men. in fact. they drew the same "a
ions.
i found the barracks in FOOD sha No
large and comfortable. The Iatrines
nave the best of plumbing. There's a
place 70 wash clothes and every man
must take a daily bath. The Post FIX.
change carries everything found in a
country store, the necessities sold at
cost and Injuries at q profit. The mar
ger the benefit Of the profit.
The Y. NJ. c. A. has a fine MA :. 80
is doing splendid work for the hoys ubo
appreciate it all. I've changed nv old.
time opinion of some of their methods
and now believe that they are DOING
noblv.
The camp water supply is from arte
sian wells and good. Each reginent h,
a IRE department. The Red Cross is also
doing remarkable work. It was an ath-
leuc "a. and | saw the field. There
SAID the colonel: that field two weeks
ago was a forest, See what your Maine
men have done, and 1t was as smooth a,
a floor
/. General Presson explained how each
man vas watched and classified as To his
ability and adaptation for duties and
when the time comes. about Nov. /. zach
will p- assigned to something, most OF
them Icing made non-coms and som .
pretty close to commissions. The examt-
- - - ryf1N II