Weekly journal-miner., 1917-10-24

CAMP STANLEY, Leon Springs, ' Texas, Oct. l4-An army corps must be an awful big looking body of men. Even a division must occupy some road space. Student officers in train ing at Camp Stanley (until yesterday known as Camp Funston) got sight of two regiments in march order yes terday, and their eyes bulged out.
 Regimental practice march, com bining some simple tactical problems was on the schedule for the seventh Saturday of the camp. Details of men from each company were sent to headquarters, and under command of student lieutenant-colonel, the or ders for a three-hour pasear were worked out. It was carly, the morn ing was chilly and dim when the ad- vance party swung into route step and left the camp bounds. Behind 1t came long khaki lines of troops, groups of mounted officers, orderlies, signal men and members of all the minor branches of the service that go to make up small brigade.
 Seven weeks of drill, hiking and tactics under the affectionate Texas sun had hardened these men wonder fully. Their faces are tanned until they are almost the color of their brown wooden shirts. Stopped office men, who got rush of patriotism to the head and joined the colors, now stand up on their feet as the Lord meant feet to be stood on. They walk with an easy swing that regards not miles, roughness of path nor the weight of the full pack" strapped to | their shoulders
 When the regiments were properly disposed along the road, given route step" and permitted to march to the ftunes of their homemade songs, the officers gathered around their maps and figured out the problem" Motor cycle messengers began to move up and down the column, red and white flags waved from hill and tree tops, conveying the Kings English to the | initiated. and the mimic combat was well under way.
 The disposition of 2,6OO men along battle front, where each mans rifle or bayonet will be factor in the fight is no small matter. Platoon leaders. who try to control three oI four squads in a sllirmish line or a rush, know how many factors enter lintc the solution Yet, every one oi the officers to be must learn how to play his game. He must study his situation, move his battle units for ward at the proper time, conserve others for a critical juncture, under stand the changing aspects ot the fray and be ready with an ace m the hole in case his game IS called. lie must learn 10 obey orders and to give them. His IS an education that IS less technical than horse sensible. Yet he must have at his finger tips the Imost complex system of technical terms. movements and formations to be found in any of the professions. Members of the camp face one oi their most severe trials next week when four battalions will occupy the trenches for a second course oi sprouts in underground warfare. For tunately, the trenches are all dug now and the pick and shovel parties oi four weeks ago will not have to be encored. This week. the men will spend three days and nights in the open, however. A series of Texas "northers" which have brought misery to the thinly clad men for the past ten days will teach them the difficult art of sleeping warm under (D single lblanKet. (2) a rubberized poncho, and I(8 shelter half. These three items comprise the entire comfort-making equipment of the infantry soldier in Ibiyouac. He totes them on his back along with a change of underwear three pairs of sox, his ratlons and his arms and ammunition. He must have them all. too, for when the company commander decides to inaugurate company inspection, things drop with q loud bang for the unlucky soldier who has forgotten part of his equip mcnt. Last week the First company was "at distance" and the men all had their packs spread out for inspection. The officers were walking down the lines, checking up the items. Captain | Clark arrived opposite nervous youth who chanced to have received no laundry the day before.
 Haven't you any soX:" he asked.
 No" replied the Mustered one.
 No? No what" thundcrcd tho captain, who is a disciplinarian and regarded the omission of the custo- mary sir as worse than that of soX.
 No sox," trcmulously shouted the student, unconsciously initiating the officers loud and querulous tone oi voice.
 The entire company got "skinncd' for snickcring.
 The big axe, which has been cut ting down the unfit in other compan- ies swung down and Topped off the heads of Y from the First last week. Each of the unfortunate was one who had made deficient" in examinations and rccitations. Before discharge. each was given a chance to command the company, so as to check up on the men who, while low in their paper work, were of temperament to make soldiers obey. The habitual course IS to yank the man out of ranks and tell him 10 give the proper commands to put the company through some move mcnt or another. One youngstcr was rcoucstcd to move the command to