Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-13
'0vERSTAY OF LEAVE
THREATENS TROOPS
Thanksgiving Privileges to Be
Denied Those Who Report
to Camp Meade Late.
INNOCENT MAY SUFFER

nifty of eating their Thanksgiving din
ner with the folks back home" be-
cause they overstayed their leave OF
absence Abuse of this privilege may
result in a marked curtailment of the
Joy slips" as the passes are charac-
terized by the cantonment soldiers.
There are still some men In the big
wooden city who have not fully grasped
the Significance of adhering to regula-
tions. and their shortcomings, unless
curbed, will bring unfair hardships on
their more conscientious comrades
'"rhe future of the pass privileges
rests entirely with the men," said
company commander. III they continue
to overstay their leave of absence, rad
ical action will be taken in the near
future
Some of the National Army men here
have not lost the alibi habit OF at
tempting to dodge work by having some
one call the boss and tell him l am
sick" or the train was late and
dozen or more evasive stunts SUCH
action has aroused the ire OF some OF
the officers, in addition to hampering
the progress of their respective mill
tary organizations. Several hundred
men failed to report on time after
spending the week end with their
families.
Must Remain in Camp.
Many Of the company commanders
decided to take the matter In hand
and have announced that the soldiers
who abused their pass privileges would
have to remain in camp on Thanksglv-
ing day.
Moreover. they will be barred from
obtaining passes for an indefinite Pc
riod. Some of the offenders have been
further penalized by being ordered to
do turn in the guardhouse.
/ One selected solder took the trouble
to make long distance telephone call
from a point in Pennsylvania to tell
his captain that he missed the train
Sunday night and would return late
this afternoon Another informed his
commander by telegraph that his
brother was sick. He enlightened his
officer to the fact that he expected
to reach the cantonment some time
day.
However. the officers are not the only
persons in the camp who are ANXIOUS
| 10 eliminate the evil. A number OF the
men in the ranks. realizing the hard
ships that may be imposed on them
through this practice by their bud
dies have established little system
of their own to ride" their inconsid-
crate comrades.
Trenches to Surround Camp.
being constructed by the engineer regi-
naents When completed the earthen
cuts will practically surround the en-
tire cantonment The trenches already
and protected by barbed-wire entangle-
Iments. They contain three lodges for
the soldiers to stand. kneei or rest on
and will be SO complete. in every detaii;
that they could be used to ward on real
strange miracle the latter should be
transplanted on our soil.
| 1t will be in these trenches that the
District selected soldiers in the 312th
/ Machine Gun Battalion Will carry on
mimic warfare. firing streams OF lead
at imaginary foes
Actual training with the machine guns
| is scheduled to begin this week for the
boys from the District of Columbia. To-
day a number Of additional rapid-fring
Wooden crates and exposed to the ad-
miring gaze of the soldiers.
Company Of the battalion has been
practicing how to aim the deadly in
the wooden walls of the barracks and
drawing "a bead" Capt. Taylor and his
lieutenants supervised the instruction
and recorded the aim Of the different
| "squint" along the barrel of the ma
chine guns and marking the spot where
the bullets would hit II the gun had
been loaded.
Barber Arrives in Camp.
The arrival Of the machine guns. how.
ever, has not been the only joy that
came to the members OF A Company.
The last increment Of men that arrived
here last week brought drst-class
barber within their ranks.
For more than a month the selected
soldiers neglected their sartorial ap-
pearance, because they were minus
good barber. to shave them and cut
| xrH{ lob to hn
ular for hair
Then along came a real scissor. clip
per and razor artist with the name Of
Samuel Furr.
| ordered on the drill field yesterday
/ afternoon and went through a sing
/ or lesson in ensemble vocalism. direct
ed by Kenneth S. Clark. the canton
ment song leader.
Heard Schumann-Heink.
In the evening number Of the boys
wended their way to the Y. NJ. c. A.
auditorium to hear Nine. Schumann-
Heink give song recital which they
modestly agreed has something on
their little song jamboree.
The appearance Of the well known
contralto attracted much attention
among the soldiers. especially since It
the barracks that she had a number Of
sons in both the American and German
armies.
Nine Schumann- Heink displayed the
same artistry at the soldiers concert
which characterizes all Of her work,
even when she appears before noted
gatherings for her fifteen hundred
per night She gave varied pro-
gram Of songs.
A careful analysis IL being made in
the different regiments to detect Sc
lected men who are totally inapt for
military duty. Such men will either be
discharged from the service or trans
ferred to certain places where ability
or knowledge of soldering 10 not need.
ed to any marked degree. Tho con-
sensus Of opinion among the officers
: is that the majority OF these selected
men will be given discharges.
/ O.. W, J,
REQUIEM MASS FOR RIVERA.