Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-09-05
IOWA TROOPS TO
Be TAUGHT TO KILL
Men at Camp Dodge to be Trained In
Fine Arts To Hand-tO-Hand
Warfare.
MUST REALIZE BAYONETS
ARE NOT MERE PLAYTHINGS
British Manual of Arms to be Adopt
ed Because of It's Deadly Effects
When Observation-Disclosures
Manual Out Of Date Be-
cause of Its Lack OF
RuthleSsness.

| hutuIeSSucSS.
Washington, Sept. 3.-One has to
have his dander up to fight success
fully in the big melee across the At
lantic. It's catch-as-catch-can af-
fair from the word go, with no fouls,
and the quickest ald strongest fighter
is the one who answers the next
mess CALL"
This fact is to be driven home
again and again to the $4,000 Iowa,
Minnesota, North Dakota, and Illinois
boys when they report at Camp Dodge
for instructions as American soldiers
for future service in the armies OF the
allies against the Germans in France.
The first week or so Of the fnten-
sive training to be givena at Camp
Dodge, military instructors attached
to the general staff who are 'responsi-
BILE for outlining the new warfare to
be taught draft men declare, will be
none too strenuous, but when squad
formation and the rudiments OF soI-
diery is inculcated in the men, the
handling of the rifle and bayonet will
be next taken up and in this nnan-to-
man fighting in its truest sense will
be taught.
Your Iowa men," said a war de-
partment officer, will be taught to
handle their rifles in the advance The
first position is high port arms
with the rifle carried diagonalIy
across the body, muzzle to the left
and the butt at about the height Of
the stomach. This position is assum-
ed so that wire entanglements may be
more readily cleared. The advance is
continued with the men maintaining
a practical alignment until within a
few yards of the enemy. when the
point of the bayonet is dropped to the
level of an adversary's throat and a
general position of readiness assumed.
The posture of an infantryman charg-
ing with bayolet is much the same as
that of pugilist. He is slightly
crouching, alert in attitude, and
above all things aggressive"
The Iowa men will be taught the
British manual on bayonets. The war
has placed the United States manual
out of date. 1t is this new manaal
that drives home the ruthlessness, the
cruelty and the cold realisms of war.
There must be the fighting spirit
the real desire to fight-before the
bayonet can be used successfully.
There will be lectures at Camp Dodge
on the use of the bayonet and actual
demonstrations with dummy adver-
saries. All the instructors will en-
phasize training as a foundation for
the work.
There is no secret attached to the
British manual on bayonet work war
department heads say. The Germans
must know it thoroughly by this time.
they declare. There is long thrust,
short thrust, an upward jab intend
ed to catch the adversary under the
chin, a swing upward Of the butt Of
the rifle, straight smash of the butt
into the enemy's face and a down cut
with the blade of the knife There
are only two parries-one to the left
and one to the right. Defense is left
solely to the individuals initiative.
II soldier loses his bayonet, he is
instructed to throw his hat into the
face of the foe or to try to break his
arm. If things proceed further, there
Is no law to prevent man from mix
ing in few jabs from the fist or
kick or two-the main point being to
beat the adversary.
There doubtless will be periods
when boxing aud light fstic encoun-
ters will be staged among the Camp
Dodge men to increase their alertness
for future work In the battlefields
with the bayonet. The French, and
British authorities have advised the
general staff that infantrymen, or
bayonetmen, are essential as we'll AZ
artillerymen. and the foot soldier is
the kind that America is expected to
furnish the most of. Iowa men will
want to give good account of them
selves at the battle front, and the reg
ular officers and reserve corps in
strIctors will do their part in making
the Hawkeye youth first among the
limited States army as fighfAra