Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-10
Camp Dodge Notes.

Camp Dodge, Nov. lowe were
only playing at Fort Snell1ng-Were
working, and working mighty hard.
here"
That was the comment Of a young
lieutenant at this cantonment when
asked to compare the training here
with that received at the rst officers
training camp at Fort Smelling, MINI.
1--WE are up and at 'em' early every
morning and we keep plugging right
thru until late,' the lieutenant said,
land as a result, we're rapidly devel-
oping real soldiers"
This lieutenant, a member Of an
Iowa regiment, declared the pace now
set could not be continued indefinitely
but the strictly outside work was being
pushed in order to take advantage OF
the favorable weather conditions.
Its easier to work IN bright sun
shine and snappy weather" he said
than in the weather that IS soon to
come; cold, snowy days that would
necessitate such bundling up as to re-
tard freedom Of the body.
"And in this driving squirt, every
man-iaclx Of them is standing up, and
the result IS easy to foresee-traincd
soldiers, physically fit to cope with any
=. eager for the fray over
there"
That seems TO be the attitude of the
enlisted men, a desire that has devel-
oped and strengthened with their stay
in camp; due to some extent, however,
as one private put It, to a desire to get
a change Of scenery, and mingle in the
big show"
"Officers are with their companies
at 1880 in the morning" the lieutenant
explained, in sketching the program
the officers from Fort Smelling face
each work day."
There Is two hours of marching at
attention each day-an exercise that
demands liberal application both of the
body and mind.
moon mess gives a let-up from ~
to 1:15, and from then until retreat at
s o'clock, there's physical exercise,
bayonet fighting, squad and company
drill, saiuting and verbal messages,
manual Of arms and some signal work.
After retreat comes mess, and from
to there are company matters; I
to 8, French classes for most Of u.s. 8
to 8, officers school-and by that time
we are glad to hit our beds, to pre-
pare ourselves for the next day OF
strenuous work"
Most Of the national army men, tho
not selected as carefully az the candi-
dates at Fort Smelling, are standing Up
in the physical line with the officers
the lieutenant said.
With not unnatural pride, the lieu
tenant referred to the 350th infantry
regiment, the purely Iowa unit tc
which he belongs, as one that promised
to develop into zone Of the best regi-
ments In the army"
He gave several reasons for this
conclusion. not the least Of which was
3 inc VI also the Ies ini5It mai eiiLffssSG
from It's commanding colonel and high
er officers.
The men from Iowa, the lieutenant
pointed out, are virtually all from open
outdoor, life, at least to larger ex-
tent, as Iowa has no real large cities
That goes a long way toward assur.
Ing their physical well-being.
Then Iowa's record as an educationa
state-fts unusually large number o.
colleges and universities. have brought
tho standard Of intelligence among iii
young men to a high point.
But one has only to question officers
% Oe1er units, comprised OF men from
any q the, other states Represented
hss4 70 Be convinced that every regi
81 .