, 1917-11-01
CHI1ONZAGZD NzZO WGE Y1

call and it was determined to start an
organization of some kind and inquire
of the government If the idea were
worth developing. Fortunately about
this time Gen. John j. Pershing went
to France in command of the Ameri-
can expedition and it was not long
before without inquiry of my kind
from this side of the water. he began
to cable back requests that n company
of cnmoutieurs be sent to France. Thus
with simultaneous enterprise and pa
triotism the commanding general was
demanding and the American artists
were organizing a branch of the serv-
Ice which appears destined to play
an important part in the activities of
the American troops on the battle
front.
The company began to grow and is
still growing. Evarts Tracy, one of
the leading architects of New York,
had taken all the courses at Plattsburg
and received a commission as major
in the Officers Reserve corps. He en-
tered with enthusiasm into the idea
of organizing the artists and became
the moving spirit of the enterprise.
To make n long story short. Il large
company of artists, s%culptors, archi-
tects, civil engineers and others who
have won fame with brush and chisel-
and many of them much money with
their brains and sklll-are now drill
ing and experimenting at Camp Amer
lean University. They must be SOL
diers also, as well as artists, for no
one who goes upon n foreign battlefield
in the uniform of the United States is
permitted to be there until he has
learned how to take care of himself.
The company is under the capable com
mand Of Capt. Martin Nixon-MIller, o..
5. r., from whom they get daily u
gruelling course in military instruc-
ton.
A first lieutenant of the company Is
Homer Saint Gaudens, son of perhaps
he greatest of American sculptOrs and
himself II stage director of note, as
witness his remarkable work with
Maude Adams in the preparation and
production of the wonderful effects and
illusions in "Peter Pan" and "a Kiss
for Cinderella" Second in command
is Lieut.. Wilfred S. Conrow, the land
scape painter. Both are graduates of
Plattsburg, and so far highly success
full with the task they have in hand.
1t might appear invidious to mention
the distinguished professional men who
compose this unusual company, but it
seems appropriate to make special
mention of Barry Faulkner, the New
York artist, If only because he Is n
pupil of Abbott II. Thayer, the great
figure painter, who early in life made
n study of animals and discovered the
law of the protective celebration of the
animal kingdom. 1t was Thayer who
first dared to differ with Darwin upon
this subject, the British scientist hav-
ing attributed the coloration to sex in
huence while Thayer, combining the
faculty of vlsuallzing and noting the
actual aspect of things In their rein
ton to n another with his knowl-
edge of the animal world, proclaimed
that natures gift Of color to her chill
dren of the forest enabled them to
disappear quickly from the sight of
va
their enemies. That the truth was
stated by both writer's now Is generally
acknowledged. Mr. Faulkner is a de-
vout disciple of his master, but in his
most intimate studies with Mr.. Thayer
he could never have dreamed that the
theory of an artist In relation to the
dress of birds and animals would some
day contribute to the success of Amer
lean arms.
The company bristIcs with men of
the highest standing in their profess
sion. Fry is a pupil of MacMonnles,
dorado Taft and other distinguished
sculptors and, like Faulkner and Harry
T%hrasher, the painter, has taken the
Prix du Rome. Among their comrades
are Suffer, Tubesing. Denver and Nell,
the painters. Twigg Smith, who has
been painting the exquisite scenes of
the Hawaiian islands, has come back