The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-14
A DAY AT FORT RILEY.

Fuller; ]. F. Dillon, chairman execu-
tive committee of the Red Cross, Mrs.
Dillon and son John, and Frank P.
MacLennan of the Military Training
Camps association went to the Fort
Riley military reservation in Mr.. Dill
Ions car.
The trip thru the Kaw valley was
encouraging AMI inspiring. Every
where along the route farmers were
blowing for or listing corn, indicating
a great acreage. The alfalfa was n
delight to the eye and suggestive of
wealth in feed productiyeness. The
fields were solid masses of green fiji
teen inches high. Poultry in the a.
falfs were concealed except for the
heads and necks- Everywhere were
litters of pigs, betokening a good pork
product showing for Kansas in the
fall. Little pigs We're in evidence on
all sides: there were pigs in clover and
in the pens; they were generally the
red pigs, otherwise the Jersey-Duroc,
round and plump. The orchards were
abloom, some of the fruit in the form
ing.
There was an occasional tractor
blowing a half dozen or more burrows
at a time, but as a rule there were four
horses: the farmer was riding and
not infrequently smoking a pipe. He
was doing his work in comfort and
seemed to be making a pleasure of his
prospective profit.
At Manhattan the party stopped for
a cup of coffee ard hot cakes. This
was furnished by the College Inn, con-
Quoted by CouIson, formerly of the
Throop hotel This is a most attrac-
tive cafe. well patronized by students
and tourists.
Seated at a table. Major Fuller. in
his brand new service uniform, no.
ticed something queer on the table
top.
What is this?" shifted the major.
only OIL said the waiter girl
only oil.' shouted the irate veteran
as he lifted his table SCARED sleeve.
You have ruined a hundred dollars
worth of clothes" said he" thinking
also of the ladies seated about the
circle.
I'VE oil the tables every morning"
said the girl. innocent of any desire to
soil the soldiers garments or the
gowns of the ladies attending him.
will you have your eggs hard or
easy?" said the college coed in the
role of a waitress. to President Dillon.
81 confess do not understand your
classic language" said Mr.. Dillon.
Il mean" said the handsome, young
educated lady, 'do YOU wish your eggs
soft boiled or hard boiled?"
Three minutes. ara be quick about
it, please" said the Red Cross officer.
Sho, thy before il the party reached
the military reservation and sought
and were given an audience with Col.
Tyree Rivers at the administration
building. The colonel was formerly at
the head of the Thirteenth United
States cavalry and was on the border.
Last summer he was transferred to
Fort Riley, as commandant of the
post.
He was plainly perturbed by the
physical impossibility to take care of
more than fraction of the applicants
for places at the military training
camp.
I'VE were limited to 1900" said he,
land have $500 applications. 1 wish
you would make plain our predica
ment. Under the system, we were
obliged to send out notification cards
before all of the applications were in.
We were not permitted. under the es-
tablished plan, to wait until the appli-
cations were all filed and then make
a more or less selective choice. The
result is that we got our quota before
the last half of the applications were
made; in fact, more than a thousand
I'VE have been unable to read for lack
of time and opportunity and from the
fact that We could do nothing with
them if we did read them.
I'VE have thus been compelled for
the time, to fail to consider many ex-
cellent men of education, character
and personality who would make more
desirable officers. But there is sure
to be another camp and these men
, will have first choice"
The ladies went to call upon Mrs
Rivers and the wives of other Off
GERS.
Shortly after noon the party, de-
string to be independent, drove to
Junction City. five miles away, secur-
ed sandwiches and liquid refresh
ments entirely of the bone dry va
riety, of course, ginger ale and White
Rock, came back to the reservation
and ate under the big elms and hack
berries; thence returning to the pos:
J buildings.
/ We were all especially anxious. Of
course, to see the Kansas and Topeka
boys. They were scattered. At one
rendezvous was long line of bright,
Intelligent. fine looking young men in
civilian clothes. Disappearing from
the head of the line from time to time
were other equally fine young men
clad in their khaki and service shoes,
| bearing in their arms their citizens
shoes and other clothing, to the bar
racks assigned them.
We ran across Clifton Stratton,