Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-07-20

go by-he is only conscious OF hndlhg
himself In new light OF capability.
That is how army strength Is made.
The army is not only an idea, state
of mind, but feeling.
Camp of Today and Yesterday.
Well, the modern camp is illustrative
OF the care of today compared 10 the
ignorance of yesterday. The camps OF
1898, to keep within general memory,
were laid out ON a plan, but more men
died in them than were killed In bat
tie There was daily medical inspee-
ton. but there was as much ignorance
as there was inspection and as little
system. Tents were pitched on the
ground. and the men slept on the floor.
There were no bitches dug around Tor
fear of stirring up malaria. Malaria
was supposed to Turk just beneath the
earths outer cuticle. When 1t rained
water ran through the tents and prac-
tically their occupants. There We're no
screens. For food il was bareback.
potatoes. onions, bread and coffee, and
II was concluded that the man who
could not live on that wasn't nj 10 be
a soldier anyhow The Kitchens were
at the back of the company streets,
and what went on there who dares
say? There were no mess halls. the
men lined up and grabbed what was
coming TO them and sat around on the
ground TO eat Garbage was allowed
to accumulate, TO lie exposed for hours
at q time and was then buried. FliesE
This was their home There were
more flies about single garbage PIT
OF a company kitchen twenty years
ago than there are with an entire regi'
ment today. As TO personal hygiene.
baths followed what Is now called THE
old tub system" which dlgnifies
sousing with bucket of water.
And soldiers were made by absorb
tion-those who survived. They were
lust drilled. There were no field ex-
ercises at all. The result was for pre-
ciseness rather than efficiency. they
were strong on dress parades and
grand stand marching. II was a pop
ular superstition that shouting and hol-
lering made martial spirit.
Soldering Science.
Today camp life has become a SCI
ence. soldering business.
The greatest thing In army develop
ment is incubation for typhoid fever
and vaccination against smallpox. A
million men have been inoculated In
the past eight years. and there have
been but two actual cases OF typhoid
fever taken under army conditions.
When proper drinking water, city or
artesian, cannot be had water is ster-
ilized.
The ideal of the modern camp Is one
of practical efficiency.
Regulations are strieter: work Is
harder: the course of instruction more
difficult. More time is spent on the
private soldier. He has his school.
The noncommissioned officer has his.
There are lectures. There are drills.
Individual personal hygiene Is a law.
There are shower baths. The men
are required TO battle frequently, and
so strong has the bath feeling become
In the army the men improyise show
ers as soon as they pitch camp They
are required to keep their clothes
clean. and they wash their garments
themselves. But this ceases 10 be a
drudgery when 1t Is appreciated as
personal safety. The soldier today
knows that If he is shot with dirty
clothes on his chances OF recovery are
80 per cent less. He knows that If his
body Is unelean he Is running Il risk.
He bathes daily because In his busi-
ness IL is the safe thing to do. One of
the most blessed details he learns In
looking after himself is 10 care for his
feet. The daily foot bath hardens and
keeps them In condition for hikes. The
nndressed calfskin boots. with steel
studded soles. are adapted TO the prr.
pose. They keep man on his feet.
They prevent slipping and the hurt of
rough roads. And a fellow Is taught
how 10 care for the foot blisters that
come. 10 drain the blister with a
needle, TO bind the foot with adhesive