New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-12
War Office Permits Core
spondent to Visit and De-
scribe u. S. Billets
BE Quick or Be Killed
English Instructors Teach Sol
diers Haste in Use Of
Gas Masks

LONDON, Aug. 9.-Through the cour-
tesy Of the War and Foreign Offices,
staff correspondent Of The Associated
Press has been permitted to visit the
American troops at their billets in Eng
land. They were found encamped in
valley in which white tents extended
as far as the eye could see, with Brit
ish officers and a squad Of non-commis-
stoned officers intensively training
them.
The British instructors were busy
making soldiers from men who until
a few weeks ago never saw an auto
matte pistol or gas mask, and they
were quite pleased at the success Of
their efforts, for the Americans, they
say, learn quickly, understand thor
oughly and do not forget what has been
told them. Moreover, they consider re-
markable the way in which the Ameri-
cans of the Engineer Corps bend them
selves to discipline when they realize
it is all important in the conduct OF the
war.
To-day the Americans are working
with gas masks. The instructors break
up companies into squads, and the
members stand in a circle and get les
sons in quick adjustment, feat which
often means life or death. ut IS
question of quick or dead" the in
structor told the Americans, and after
that no time was lost in the operation.
Walk Through Fumes
The Americans are being instructed
in the use of several varieties of masks,
some of them rescm5 a hangman's
cap and others adjusting like the ap-
paraus of a wireless telegraph re-
ceiver over the head. Once speedy IN
the adjustment of the mask, the Amer
leans are taken TO the gas trenches,
where they walk through deadly fumes
and to the open plain, where just At
tie of various gases are liberated from
tanks. This is done so that the sol
diers will learn to recognize the smell,
and, recognizing it, take no more than
one Whit.
The gas instruction takes up much
of the time of the Americans. The re-
mainder is given up TO calisthenics and
infantry drills for the officers and men,
and it is a long day-frOm 5:45 o'clock
in the morning until 10 o'clock at night.
Most of the men at this encampment
are from the railways of America. They
are made ND from the operating and
construction divisions of the railways,
and they are working hard in order TO
be ready 10 construct and operate roads
in France, and to fight for this prlvi-
lege if necessary. Some of the com
panies are made up Of men from roads
entering Chicago and some Pittsburgh
and some New York. But the men
themselves come from all over the
country. Many of them already have
been through instructions at camp
British Officers Pleased
A taste Of what is coming in the way
of weather and mud already has been
had. Some of the companies from the
Chicago lines arrived at the camp IN
driving rain which continued for four
davs. The ground was a sea Of mud,
and when finally the sun broke through
the whole camp gave three cheers Tor
il. The remainder Of the day the men
were 10 be seen hanging their shoes
and clothing in the sun TO dry.
The British officers at the camp are
highly pleased with the appearance and
adaptability of the Americans and with
the scheme of enrolling the railroad
men in separate units. One officer said
to-day: -, ILL.
and intelligent and should do honor TO
their country and themselves. .,
"The American plan Of putting rai!-
wav men into separate units is excel
lent We should have done that at the
beginning Of the war We would have
boen better off. Many men, such as
railway operatives and mon from the
construction forces, are infinitely more
valuable for that work than IN the
trenches and can serve the country pet
ter.
1.-THE trained man on the job he thor
oughlv understands makes the most
efficient unit. These men, when they
reach the field Of operations, can run
military railroad or kill Germans
Therefore they are doublly valuable
The Americans and the British from
nearby camps, especially the Canadians,
fraternize freely at all times and spend
much of their leisure together AT the
gas trenches the Americans mingie
With the British at instruction, the
campaign hats OF the Americans being
sandwichcd between the caps o. the
"Tommies."
Two Flags United
The Americans sometimes meet with
trouble in conversing with the Brit
ishers. As yet the Americans do not
understand Cockney well, and the Cock
news themselves have some little
trouble in understanding the idioms Of
the men from Chicago and New York.
American and British flags float over
the camp from the same pole, and, to
quote the adjutant of one of the bat
talions. "they mix well-both red, white
and blue-the best in the world and the