The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-11-08
BLUE SUITS FOR GUARDS
Wooden Blue Suits Of wisconsin State
Guard to Be Supplied by State to
Members of Company Within Bat
talon, Soon to Be Enrolled.

If in the very near future, a new
uniform, similar to the one worn by
the soldiers of Uncle Sam, and yet
strangely different, should make its
appearance on the streets of Kenosha,
it should not long be the object for
speculation for the Kenosha Provisional
Battalion is soon to be 'Eall dressed up'
and "waiting for some place to CO."
For the majority of the members of
the battalion these suits are to be of
khaki and similar in design to the army
style save that the collars will have
lapels and turn down like civilian
coat. The broad soldier hat and the
leather leggings will also be part OF
the Kenosha guards attire. The in
sigma will, of course, differ from that
of the u. s. A. and will probably bear
the letters w. S. G-Wisconsin State
Guard-with the ordinary military des-
ignations for rank. of officers.
There is to be organized soon in the
ranks Of the Kenosha Provisional Bat
talon q company Of sixty-five men,
who will be enrolled in the service of
the state and who will he ready to
protect law and property not only in
Kenosha county, but wherever they
may be called within Wisconsin. The
applications for enrolment in this
ftHonor Brigade Of the Battalion will
begin to be received on next Monday
and Colonel Driver of the Wisconsin
National Guard will come to Kenosha
in the near future to swear these men
into the state service. The members
Of the State Company will remain mem
bers Of the Kenosha Provisional Bat
TALON as their drills are identical.
Many men have signified their inten-
tion Of joining this new company and
it is now evident that the ranks will
be more than filled.
The members of the State Guard unit
will be uniformed at the cost of the
state, but in a recent communication
from state headquarters, Major Mellum
was informed that this company must
be equipped with materials which are
now on hand and they 'yill be sent the
blue wooden dress uniform of the Wis
consin State Guard and will be equipped
with Springfield rifles, calibre 45, but
with only forty to each company. Gal
Iery practice rifles, % calibre will also
be furnished in sufficient numbers.
The letter which is from Adjt, Cen
eral Orlando Holway says in explana-
tion of the above the following:
F'Until conditions are changed, the
uniform of Wisconsin State Guard, for
dress and winter service wear, will be
the dress uniform, wooden blue, pre-
scribed for the United States Army,
but distinguished therefrom by State
insignia which will be issued by the
State Quartermaster.
'sThere are on hand in the State
depots approximately $500 such uni
forms, serviceable and available for
issue without cost by permission of
the War Department, provided they
are distinguished as heretofore indi-
Gated.
ttOn the other hand there is an alarm
ing shortage not only of wool fabrics
but also of the raw material from
which they are woven. This is es-
pecially true of the olive drab cloth
from which the U. s. Army wooden
uniforms are made. The field armies
of the United States are not yet fully
provided with warm clothing, and the
imminent prospect is faced Of provid-
ing for new armies of strength fully
as great as those now in service.
s'In making and announcing these
decisions and regulations, the Cover
nor confidently expects from the
Guard, sworn to State Service, the
same ungrudging acceptance which is
being given by the whole loyal people
of the State to war demands involving
infinitely greater self-sacrifice.
The Adjutant General Of Wisconsin. =
Tn planning the uniforms for the ma
jority Of the Provisional Battalion, it
was investigated into the alleged scar
city of cotton khaki cloth and found
that there would be plenty without in
terfering in the least with the govern.
ment orders. The adoption of khaki
as the uniform gives the unit an OPP
portunity to change the style of collar
to fit the United States army garb in
case law is passed in the spring to
permit. Major Mellum expects to
"measure the rockies" for their new
uniforms in the very near future and
il is believed that the coming of the
uniforms will bring added enthusiasm
into the work of the Kenosha Pro
visional Battalion,