The Washington times., 1917-05-09
CAPITAL TAKES ON
LOOK OF WAR CAMP
UnifOrming Order Lends
Martial Appearance.
NAVY OFFICERS OPPOSE RULE
Believe Discipline Requirements
Would Hamper Work.

One of the British army officers
lecturing in the United States OBJ,
served the other day that this
country is walking in its sleep, and
doesn't know 1t is at war. II he
came to Washington right now and
rubbed shoulders with the thousands
of uniformed men on the streets he
would at least amend his obserya-
ton by admitting that the Capital
knows that the nation is on war
fooing.
There are 800 army officers sta
toned at the War Department, sew
eraI hundred cavalry at Fort Ayer'
engineers at Washington Barracks,
and more than a thousand District
National Guard troops at Fort Myer
and on patrol duty. All are in ser
vice uniform Of Khaki.
Next week this number Will be
augmented by $500 reserve officers
and candidates for reserve officers
commissions at the Fort Myer train
ing camp.
Oppose Ceremony.
And within a few days, IL present
plans are carried out, the khaki-clad
soldiers will be Joined by the naval
offcers on duty in Washington in
wearing uniforms. Already the of.
hcers Of marines at the Marine Bar
racks, the Navy Yard, and Indian
Head, whose numbers have been
greatly augmented by recruiting, are
in uniform
The plan OF adopting service uni
form for officers stationed at the
Navy Department has been held up
by opposition of some OF the officers,
who pointed out that, owing to the
strict discipline and code OF conduct
OF enlisted men Of the navy toward
officers, the work of the Navy De
partment, which is now nothing more
than a big workshop, would be ham
pered by the injection OF too much
ceremony.
But these naval officers are des-
tined to lose their fight, because the
heads OF departments have concluded
that the fighting men OF a nation at
war should wear their fighting "tops,"
wherefore the navy blue may be
looked for mingling with the army
khaki in the next few days.
The appearance of the uniform on
the army side OF the State, War, and
Navy building has changed the at
mObpneIe OF Lle place. 4neTe Is con-
tinual clicking OF heels and exchange
of salutes in the corridors. The
major generals and brigadier gen.
erals, who last week were undistin-
guishable from the civilian force, now
wear the uniform OF their rank and
give and receive orders as soldiers
and not as plain citizens as before.
Summer May Bring Change.
With the unIforming OF the officers
or the general staff and staff depart
ments has come a demand for some
change in the uniform to make IL
= something less Of a straitjacket
No matter what may be said of the
tightly buttoned Jacket, and the stiff
leather puttees in the field, il is not
the most comfortable wearing apparel
for the man bending over a desk. Cav
airy boots and spurs are more or less
cumbersome to the officer whose work
takes him up and down stairs and
through tiled corridors.
There is talk of adopting the roll
collared jacket worn by the British
army officers, with the soft shirt and
collar to replace the billed" shirt and
razor-edged linen collar required by
army regulations. And there is strong
likelihood that this talk will grow in
volume when chilly May finally re-
Tents and makes way for sweltering
summer.