The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-12-22
ARCHITECTS QUICK
TO ANSWER CALL
THOUSANDS OF THE BEST IN
THE COUNTRY Modified
FOR WAR SERVICE.
CRAFTSMEN ALSO VOLUNTEER
Three Hundred Experts Will Supervise
Building of Great American Aviation
Bases In France-others Busy at
Many Necessary Tasks.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

Washington.-Unde the call of John
Lawrence Mauran of St Louis, pres
ident of the American Institute of
Architects, the mobilization of the
architects of the country for war serv-
Ice virtually has been completed.
The call to duty on the firing line
as well as behind it was issued from
the historic Ostagon house in Wash
ington in which the treaty Of Client
which terminated the war of 1912 was
signed. The response came from men
high in the architectural profession in
virtually every city Of the United
States.
Scores of architects already are in
France supervising the building OF the
aviation bases to be used by Americas
huge air forces, others are being train
ed In the camouflage battalion at the
grounds of the American university in
this CITY, while still others are await
ing the call of the war and the navy
departments and the shipping board of
the United States. 1t Is expected that
before the roster of architects is COM
plete 5000 of these experts and ar
lists will be doing their bit and more
than their bit for Uncle Sam.
As soon as Mr. Mauran received the
spontaneous answer to his call of the
brethren to the colors be offered to
President Wilson the services of the
architects of the country whose tech
nical training he knew would make
them peculiarly valuable in certain
branches OF war work.
Offer Quickly Accepted.
The president expressed deep appre-
ciation of the offer and 1t instantly
was accepted. The quartermaster and
engineer corps, increased largely as
they were In size and in the scope OF
their duties, were In special need OF
the service of men whose training and
knowledge in the architects profession
had been broad and deep. The need In
the engineer corps was particularly
sharp, directing as the engineers dc
construction, topography, drafting and
sanitary and electrical work.
IL
service are In charge of much the same
class Of work as they have under theii
professional superfntendents In times
of peace. Military engineering tech
nique Is, of course, thing apart. In
France many architects are engaged
In the work of making maps out OF
the photographs which are taken Of
the enemys lines from airplanes.
The thousands of architects who re
sponded to their governments cal
were submitted to thorough physica
examination. The number Of those re
spending was much greater than o
those who finally were accepted, be
cause the spirit Of the volunteers wa
such that many men beyond the mill
tary age and many men physically un
able to do war work answered the cal
and tried hard to qualify for the serv
ice.
Building Aviation Bases.
The signal corps of the Unite,
States today has 500 volunteer archi
tects and craftsmen in its service.
has Just delivered" 800 architects fo
service in foreign fields. 1t is thes
men who will have charge Of build
ing the great aviation bases In Franc
where they will direct at least COCO
French laborers and German, prisoner
of war In the work of constructin
headquarters and working building
for the huge flock of American flier
who soon will take up aerial work owe
the line where the men of many ns
tions are engaged in "The Great At
venture"
The architects who are now In tn
service are all between the ages Q
twenty-one and fcrty-five years. Th
educational requirements are goo
technical training plus several year
of practical experience in building col
struction as architects, builders or s,
perintendents. AS the scheme of wa
on a grand scale develops 1t Is b.
coming apparent that many more me
than the thousands already enrolle
will be necessary to carry out th
work which 1t seems necessary thu
the United States shall do before th
war is won.
Hundreds of the architects who hay
volunteered for the war have sacr
feed large incomes and have jeopa
died their places in the profession
world when they return from the wa
Some of these men will have to r
establish their business while othel
may be incapacitated to continue
their profession. They are volunteer
pure and simple and their pay almo
In every instance Ii much less the
that which they receive In times
neece. - --- -----