Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-03
CARRIER PIGEONS
WILL Be TRAINED
FOR WAR SERVICE
MAJOR EASTMAN ISSUES CALL
Feathered Tribe VIII Become Mem
hers of Signal Corps Of Seiective
Army Force.
lSnecial DO Nd Argus.l

Camp Dodge. Iowa, Dec. 3.-The |
dove of peace is fine bird. isn't he?
But the pigeon of war is 10 have
an important place in training gwen
national army men at Camp Dodge
Fellows at the cantonment are go
ing TO find out, pretty soon, lust now
necessary these birds are in time OF
war. Major Clyde l.. Eastman, divis-
ion signal officer, wants all men VINO
know anything about the training OF
carriers TO report to him at once. For
the birds are TO be members Of the
signal corps, and must start their
drilling before long.
The use of carrier pigeons never
has been so extensive as during the
present war, Major Eastman says. in
every war. these little birds have
played their parts, but never until the
world war, covering such vast areas
and including so many countries. have
there been 80 many carriers used as
message bearers Training in the use
Of carrier pigeons Is to be given in
every training camp Of the United
States. and the importance Of this
branch Of instruction will be en-
phasized.
Birds Can "Get Through"
Carrier pigeons often bring i'm
portant messages through artillery
ire and gas clouds. when no other
means Of communication can be used,
Major Eastman says. ''The birds fly
high and escape the gas, and are in
valuable In emergencies as bearers OF
valuable information
The major says that every field sig
nal battalion should have at least
three men in charge Of pigeons, and
that telegraph battalions should have
one man to look after these birds The
pigeons are kept IN stations until re-
leased for fight. and lofts are estab-
lished to which they return following
flight.
They 60 through regular training
too. just like soldiers. 1t takes about
six weeks to train the pigeons before
they can be flown from the trenches
and but a few days to train men to
care for the birds.
Must Have Reserves.
There always must be q reserve Of
pigeons, too, to allow for casualties
Usually the signal corps keeps about
three times as many birds as are de-
sired in the trenches at any one time
In this way. they have two days res'
in the loft for every two days in the
trenches. Tired birds, and those i'll.
Jared for, may fail TO deliver mes.
sages, and could prevent victory
Major Eastman SAYS. So great care
is taken of these little message bear.
ers. They are carried from place tC
place in stock baskets, but must be
taken from these baskets as soon as
possible for they suffer from conflne
ment. During gas attacks their bas
kets are enclosed in chemically-treat
ed covers, so that they do not suffer
from the poison
Every pigeon station is allotted L
definite commander, such as a bat
TALON or company commander. He il
responsible for messages sent, anC
for the care Of the carriers. He mux
use Judgment, and must not send tn
birds out except when absolutely nee
essary. They are reserved for emery
encies, and are used only when al
other means Of communication are Gu
off.
The pigeons fly at a rate Of abou
twenty-five miles an hour, and at
distance of about four hundred feet i
the air. Their longest fight is abou
three hundred miles.