The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-08
GUARDSMEN KEEN
TO QUIT MILLS;
FACILITIES FOR
TROOPS Are POOR
North Dakotans Quite Will
ing to Change Camp
For France Now
SEVERAL MORE
MEN PROMOTED
Hard Drilling Is Daily
Grind For Flicker
tail Men
SEVERAL MORE
MEN PROMOTED
(Ry Earle n. 1ostevin.)
IStaff Correspondent of The Forum
with the Sunset DiVisioul


IStaff Correspondent of The Forum
with the Sunset Division.)
Camp Mills, Hampstead, L. L,
Dec. 4.-Oh! JOY! Oh Boy! When
do we go from here?" is the song
which one hears around the COM
pany streets of Camp Mills, be 1t
the 164th when the First North Da-
kota is quartered, the 163rd Mon
tana, or the Wyoming, Washington,
Oregon, Idaho or South Dakota Ma
tional guardmen's camps.
Did you notice the change? Not
"Where do we go?" but 'sWhen?"
Every one knows where they are
going, at least the general direction,
but there is no one knows when"
Life in the trenches does not appeal
to the boys now any more than ever
but they are ready to tackle 1t and
get it over with, besides the chaps
"over there" seem to be having
some stun"
Word Becomes IrISsoms. ..
Its the idea of when" that is
irksome. They have heard reassur-
ing tales of the precautions taken
by the government to guard trans
ports and they do not fear the sub
marines. At least they say they
don't and with several thousand men
saying a thing it becomes an es-
tablished fact after a while. The
boys have heard inlltngs Of the
plan Of convoy and many have
written home telling folks not to
worry about the deep sea devils.
Camp Mills with it's many decid-
edly striking deficiencies in proper
sanitation, sleeping quarters etc., has
become a bug-a-boo. They want to
erase its muddy streets and dirty
tents, it's nightly chorus Of cough,
cough, cough, from their memories
and besides Were in this war so
why not Tight or at least get. over
there when we can be trained and
ready to do our share?"
Shun Personal Liabilities.
They really are anxious to get
''over there" And it is a strange
thing that not one Of the boys will
admit that he thinks that is any
possibility Of his being one to be adj
ministered to by the Purple Cross"
as the undertakers are called. They
all consider it probable that some
other chap may get his" but they
won't think of a personal liability.
And it is probably just as wei.
Nevertheless they are all taking
out insurance under the govern
ment plan. Well not all Of them but
First North Dakota have taken poll
cies nearly all OF which bear the face
value Of $4,000 in case Of death.
This means the loss OF the regiment
would cost Uncle Samuel close TO
$5O,000,090.
Just a Little Matter
The boys generally squire that
they draw so little money anyway
that a mere matter OF $3.50 a month
from their pay doesn't make much
difference. The rate Of $3.50 a month
IS at the age Of 21. The increase in
age is very slight. The average age
of the men as shown by the insur-
ance clerks records OF the various
companies and regiments, is "a.
And while this $3.50 or $3.50 a
month from each mans pay may
seem like a bagatelle to him now, it
might mean comfort for his parents
or some relation in case-of course
1t won't-but in case anything did
happen.
Meanwhile the new officers Great
ed from their ranks ana the old
commanders are putting the men
through their PAGES. 1t is a case Of
long hard hours for the infantry
men, long hours Of drill and study
for the field artillery and machine
gun battalions, hard grinding by
everybody including the officers. For
the officers have school each evening
learning military tactics, new wrin-
kles that have been developed by
the three years lighting over there.
Men are now practically QUILTED
with wooden clothes for winter and
other equipment is being issued as
fast as possible.
However, there is no mixing as to
when the move will come, as to
when orders will be given for en-
barkation. One OF these days you
folks back home viii receive notice
that we're over there" Woe be un-
TO the man that attempts TO tele-
graph the home folks Of the move
after the order is given, Is the un-
written edict.
Nearly every tent in every COM
pany of every regiment in Camp
Mills today had a special feed.
Thanksgiving parcels have been
coming for the past week. but the
mails and express were especially
heavy today. Many Christmas par
cells also have been received and
well they certainly are appreciated.
You see this is pretty close to pay
day-on the wrong side.
When the boys have money they
are able to so into Hampstead and
on Saturdays and Sundays into New
York, where they can buy goodies.
But those Jars or jell from home GER
tainly do hit the spot.
Baby Ribbons Won't Do
However, IL is estimated that
about ten out Of every hundred
packages from home" are never de-
Iivered. Why? Not because regl-
mental mail clerks, or postal en-
ployes are careless. but because
stun is wrapped so insecurity.
Pretty baby ribbon bows and card
board boxes won't do. The boys say
ten the folks to mail their packages
in tin boxes.
Nearly all OF the boys Of the North
Dakota and other regiments We're
entertained at homes, lodges or
churches for Thanksgiving dinner.
Captain A. b. Welsh, formerly CONF
1nander OF Company in the Second
North Dakota regiment and now
acting aide-de-camp to General
Itggett, had personal charge or the
work OF providing dinner for the
many thousand men. Cards were
distributed aand mems names SEE
cured, meanwhile others were list-
ing the people in the various vie
lagos and sections Of New York who
offered to feed the men. There were
enough places for all.
one az the most interesting teat-
ures was the entertainment Of 200
men from northwestern states BY
The Rock Mountain club o9 New