The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-22
SAMM|ES TEACHING
FRENCH NATIONAL
PAST|ME ALREADY
IA seball Introduced In France Takes
Minds OF Men and Population
OF Grim War.
PERSHTNG MEN GET
BATCH OF NAIL FROM HOME
Camp Undergoing Regular Vera Cruz
Ciean-Up-Shortage Exists in To-
bacco, but Supply of Weed Is Short
ly to arrive.
BY DANIEL DILLON

{StaT Correspondent of the Interna-
III opal News Service.
At the Permanent American Base
in France. July 2o.-(Delayed) Cen
eral Sibert today expressed great sat-
isfaction with the results of his in
spection OF the permanent training
camp.
Today has been set apart as clean
UP day" Various sections of the
men not participating in drill are
securing the quarters for baseball
Last night some OF the Sammies edu-
Gated French youngsters In the In
trtcacies of the game. A middle-aged
Frenchman abandoned his work to
participate. He was wildly elated
when he made a catch. The boys
were unable to make hits safely.
''Ty Cobb needn't worry about RI
vaing this gang" was the verdict OF
one amused Sammy.
Crowds Watch Game.
TIE sport proved intensely inter
esting. incidentally 1t proved a sue
cessful rival with the band con-
cert, for large crowds We're dtstricted
from the latter by the desire to watch
the great American pasttme.
There is little sickness in the camp.
The men are we'll fitted out. are en-
tirely contented and well fed. There
is a shortage of tobacco, but a sup
ply is expected shortly.
General Sibert on his inspection
found the billets where the troops
are duartered thoroughly clean and
in absolute order. Strict sanitary
rules have been established. The en-
tire camp is undergoing a Vera Cruz
securing on a smaller scale.
"C1ean-Up Americans"
The French call our soldiers clean
up Americans" An American post
office has been established which han
dies the mail of the American army.
1t is in charge OF an army chaplain.
The first big batch OF mail from
America was received today. The
soldiers tubilantly read their letters
from home. They are naturally ca
ger to receive every possible scrap of
news from the folks at home Scores
of them sat down Immediately to an
swer the letters from America. They
described in great detail the beauties
and the charming hospitality Of
France. Veterans are contrasting the
life here with Mexico and its hostile
people and barren land. They recall
the unpleasant routine on the border.
Here they are in the midst OF friends.
in a beautiful country with duty de-
veloping novel features every day.
The ubiquitous American barber
also Is on the job here A tonsorial
artist with typical Yankee enterprise.
has rented a French shop. He is a
veteran OF the game. He shaved in
Porto Rico; he "haircutted'' IN the
Philippines. and shampooed In Mex
leo. The soldiers say he is now an
expert at "enameling" ones face.
Troops in High Spirits.
Everything has a funny side for the
American soldiers here, They are In
the highest spirits. Study of the
French language is their chief de-
light. Nightly they sit book in hand
In front OF their billets, around them
a little crowd of French soldiers and
civilians. The Sammy thus laugh
ingly takes his lessons. He is in high
glee when he discovers a French
word similar to its English synonym
Deep chagrin overtakes him when he
cannot recognize such words in the
garb of the French pronunciation.
Objects of great envy are those who
are seen walking with a pretty French
girl. smilingly teaching her compan-
ion.
Major-General Pershing is easy to
reach the permanent camp. The
American correspondents at the sug-
gestion of the censor have rented
quarters in hotel close to the camp
and beginning Monday will all live
together there.