The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-09-29
CAMOUnACE PRACTlCtD
At DRAFT army CAMP
"Jazz" Shirt May Conceal
Soldier, Missoulians
Discover.
GIVEN WARM WELCOME
Contingent Finds Routine
Of Army Life Full Of
Interest.
BY Frank Phillips.

Camp Lewis. American Lake. Wash.
Sept. 27.-(SpeciaD.- Fine feathers
may make fine birds. but khaki doesn't
make a soldier. Nssoula's troop is
n future Grant and that "college- cut"
trousers serve as well as puttees in
training times. For the men from
Missoula county are soldiers now.
though they are beginning their mill
tary careers
Some in rags and some in bags
And some in velvet gowns
Uniforms Not Received.
They say that it will be two months
before we get our uniforms In the
meanwhile all hands will drill in the
clothes they happened to wear over
hear. The army would look strange
in parade. but the lack of uniforms
makes little difference in training
camp.
Here the spirit counts. and the spir-
it of the Missoula county contingent
was determined last Monday, when
the home folks instilled fighting
pep with their send off.
Arrival Ceremonious.
Our arrival in camp was II cere-
monious affair. Army officers met us
and formed us into lines two abreast.
We marched first to big open shed.
where the roll call was called. Then
we went through medical tent and
received a hasty physical examination.
That over we marched-"hep' hep.
lr u 4
quarters.
1t was just like walking through a
city. Except that there were no street
cars or women the camp is just like
n huge town In which single minded
architect have been given free reign
All the buildings are alike. though
there are enough of them for a dozer
respectable towns.
Reception Cheerful.
Our reception at the barracks was
typical of the efficient goodwill O
the officers. There was nothing dom
ineering about it: We We're treated a
good fellows. \ lieutenant lined us u
and called us into the supply room
one at time. There each of us re
ceived two blankets. a towel, a tooth
otuSIi. ~ COIIlb, picCc VI swap dHu
\ mattress with these we. went int
the barracks where a space had bee
allotted each man and all prepare
for Hopping time"
The First Mess.
Mess call was given at o'eloel
Again the men We're called outsid
and lined mp. The command was give
by the kitchen police tthe *. P.s.
they call theml TO fall to- The
there was "A noise like barrage fir
The tin dishes fairly ratified. Ell
duette doesn't cut much figure whe
hundreds of men, hungry after a bus
day. catch sight of eats far ava
from earshot of women. The wa
those men went after their first mes
would have made the girls in Graf
hail feel like astronomical Stacker
We are quartered now with IL
Butte bunch that bumped into 5
much trouble on the way over. The
are pretty tame now. but arc M
allowed to leave the barracks Viii
their case is being investigated.
Peterson Only Casualty.
Peterson. who was i'll on the Wa
over. was put to bed as soon as /
arrived and will he all right in a da
or two. a doctor had to be called f
him at Spokane and at Ellensbur
and the military physician dosed hil
mp here. His condition isn't seriou
though and he will be drilling Wit
the rest of us soon
The other Missoula boys are sta
toned about half a mile away frol
us. but we saw Alden Jones, Calvi
Doty and Frank Carlen--all Mssou1
fellows in the coast artillery-at til
train. They We're all dolled up
their full equipment and made us
little jealous. but we will get our uni
forms pretty soon. ! suppose,
All of the soldiers be have speI
every minute of spare time since the
landed in writing letters home. TIL
first days are hardest, and home neNe
seemed dearer than right now. BIT
not one of the bunch could he dragge
back home. They all want to sta
and fight this thing through. Jus
the same. home thoughts have bee
met half way, and home letters ar
anXiously waited for.
Soldiers are human beings, Ho
know.