The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-26
GREAT TRAINING
CAMP TAKES ON
LIVELY BEARING
Preliminary Work Well
Under Way-Lots of
Food and Amusement

men are soon accustomed to the
routine Of the cantonment. The men
In the photo have been at camp only
a few hours, but they have already
fallen in with the spirit OF army life.
They have had their first taste Of
army grub" and by their expressions
it was to their liking After their
first meal they learned that one Of
the duties of our soldiers is cleaning
their own dishes. They are busily
engaged at that task while others Of
their comrades are taking their turns
at the mess tables.
Upon their arrival the men we're
for the most part quiet and serious,
feeling a bit awkward and difhdent
in the new undertaking. There was
seen in most of them the attitude Of
a man on a new job in unfamiliar
surroundings or rather Of the small
boy on his first day of school. 1t
has been generally remarked. how
ever that there has been nothing
sullen or unwilling in the behavior
of any of them and that on the con-
trary they have been more eager and
interested than might have been ex-
pected.
Men Soon Find Their Places.
Each new soldier Of freedom" had
found his place within half an hour
after his arrival at the camp. The
men are received in groups from
their various states and communities
and after a medical examination, a
part of each group is assigned to the
infantry brigades, a part to the ar
ti1lery bTigades and the rest to the |
depot brigades. The officers OF the
.brigades then take them in charge |
and after being led behind the brigade |
lines the men are divided again with |
reference to regiments. These were |
T. -
companies and the men were directed |
to their barracks. which were ready |
for them so far at least as cots and |
? blankets and food were concerned.
At the close of the first day the |
! men had already begun to feel es-
tablished. The distribution of shoes, |
socks and shirts, trousers. hats and |
leggings followed later and some Of /
the men are still training in civilian |
clothes. They learned how to make
their beds so that the letters u. S"
showed on the outside OF the blank
cts just six inches below the upper
edge-one Of the very first lessons in
the army.
After two meals together and by
evening Of the first day conrad" hip
began to spring up and the men went
away in groups and pairs to the
movie shows and entertainments that
are supplied by the Y NJ c. A. That |
the men are to have plenty Of whole
some diversion is already apparent
and they have shown their apprecia-
ton Of il.
Officers Are TaetfuI.
The "conscript' and compulsory
phase of the national army is being h
sensibly handled by the officers in
charge. All of them realize as we'll
as the men themselves that they
hHF9nGn ha IN hIgf 10 fc | 1
rot in human nature to be pleased
with the idea, and the officers deal
with it in a tactful way.
The word obligatory" is used
rather than compulsory. 1T is
obligatory" explained one of the of
ficers, for all men to pay their just
debts. 1t is only in the case Of shirk-
ers that compulsion is necessary.
These men are not strikers. They
come into the army because they owe
a debt of service to their country and |
the draft law has been merely a
means furnished them that they can II
properly pay that debt. These men
are not shirlers and you will not find
that spirit among the men.
Il don't want to cast aspersions i
on the old regular army" said a
prominent officer. but this way of
getting an army is a thousand times
better. For the rank and file we are :
starting with at least so per cent i;
of the total enrolment far above the !
average of men as you find them L,
throughout the country. There is
+ nothing of the hobo type even in the
! other so per cent, and very little, if
anything, Of the vicious. AS to the {;
! new officers from the reserve corps
/ training camps, they all have the in {
doctrination OF the spirit of work
They are fresh from the training
which meant eight and ten hard I
hours day Of work for every one of ]
them. That is what military service !
means to them. They know nothing I
else in connection with the army, and ,
they are going to pass this on to the
men. We are going to have an army
free of idleness. Nobody need fear 3
TO let his son come to it when the I
draft board calls him.
Each barracks at present accommo-
dates about 200 men, but a plan to ]
remodel some Of these buildings will
provide more room. In each of the !
barracks there is a hallway in the \
center extending the entire width, {
with outdoor exits at either end. On,
the right of this hall, when entering &
the east door, there is a large mess I
hall where the men eat. In the mess I
nan are ten tables accommodating /
twenty-five men each. At the north /
of the mess hall is the kitchen,
equipped with two 10-hole ranges, II
tcebox, two pantries and other con- {
veniences for the cook. =
Orderly Room at Right. {
On the right Of the main hall is an I
orderly room for the use of the first {
sergeant and company clerk. The re-
matnder Of the space on the left orig I
tnally was intended for a recreation /
hall, but owing TO the increase in the S
size of the companies under the new @
organization plan 1t probably will be |
used by nom commissioned officers 3
and possibly for sleeping quarters Il
for some privates. G
Each barracks is two stories in | '
height, the stairs leading to the sec G
ond floor from the main hallway. The {
entire upper floor is devoted to sleep I
ing quarters and cots will be the only I
furniture, excepting the stoves. The Ii
night are lighted by electric globes. q
The wash room have a shower bath
with ten showers for each company. | r
These also are to be heated. III
The remodeling plan contemplates | a
utilizing all Of the first floor Of some Il
OF the barracks for sleeping quarters, Z
allowing the men TO eat in other bar I
racks, where the mess halls and / /
kitchens will be retained. q
Everything is being done to make \
the soldiers comfortable, and much
IS planned for the seIective men in h
tile way Of amusement, sports and | c
religious welfare. Two Y. NJ. G. A. q
units are now ready to welcome the Id
new soldiers and others are being I
rushed &c completion. The Knights | a
Of Columbus order e. constructing q
big han for recreation and religious