Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-06-22
Leave Ambulance Corps to Take
Up Army Transportation
Service.
RIGID ROUTINE IS FOLLOWED
Course Of Training 10 Really an "in-
tenslve Course" to Fit Men in Short
est Possible Time to Take Com.
mand Of Transports.

Parls-Fifteen Americans have PIX
changed the strenuous life Of the am
bulance field service (Which had In
tervals la It's s%trenuOslty) to study to
become officers In the French army
transportation service at a school
where the course seems to leave no
opening for the prOverbiai finder of
employment for idle hands.
This shcoOl was established In
Meaux toward the end of last March,
and had 100 French pupils. officers and
nOncOmmissloned officers In training
when the American contingent Joined
a week ago. The course Is exactly
the same for French and Americans,
but the Americans are kept In q spe-
cial class for the sake Of those that
need Engllsh-speaking instructors.
At $50 In the morning everyone is
up and must be dressed, have made
his bed and had breakfast In time to
answer his name at roll call at 6:25.
As regards breakfast, the American
stomach found that 1t could not do a
mornings hard work on the regulation
French breakfast Of coffee and bread,
so eggs and bacon have been added.
From $50 to 1880 theory is studied,
and from 1880 to $50 lectures or au-
tOmOblle technique are given, followed
by practical work In the workshop,
such as soldering metals. tempering
steel and all sorts Of forge work.
Busy Session In Afternoon.
Luncheon at eleven is taken In the
mess shed, and is, like dinner later, an
excellent example of that proficiency
In cuisine for which France is unrl-
vailed. AT first the Is Americans sat
together, but on the second day their
French comrades gave a dinner In
their honor, and after that the Ameri-
cans (whO still wear their field section
unlforms) divided up among the other
tables.
From - AS TO $50 p. IN. on three
afternoons a week, work is done or the
bodies Of camions military trucks) {;
they are dissected and put together
again. etc. On the other three after
moons the convOi (train) of camions,
generally eight. are taken out as II
they were on actual service. Each man
In turn Is named head of the section
(and Is in general charge for the day..
Orders are given him to take a hypo-
thetical load Of munitions to some
point some miles away. and he has to
conduct his train by the map, set the
pace, keep them together, and show
them how to overcome difficulties that
arise. These difficulties are at present
chiefly imaginary, but Hypothetical
cases Of broken axles, Of towing cars,
etc. are treated.
The lieutenant attached to the Amer
lean group, Lieutenant de Kersauson,
whose long residence In California has
given him a perfect mastery of the
American language. accompanies the
train, but gives no advice, only OBJ
serves. If the officer Of the day mis-
takes his route, he has to find out his
error and rectify It himself. After
the return at 8 40, the lieutenant gives
a half-hour criticism of the ]convois
work and points out mistakes made
and how 10 avoid them.
Evening Spent in Study.
Dinner Is at $50, and more study
follows til 10 p. M when all lights
are put out. Such a program. with
plenty Of manual work in the open air.
provides enough exercise, but regular
army drill is put In three times Il