The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-29
BRAID AND FR|LLS
MISSING IN CAMP
Doctors Are In Hardest Kind Of Train
ING In Fort Riley, According
to Ono Who is
There.
NEcKT1Es ARE TABOO
Fine Clothes Give Way to. buds
Which VIII Stand All Sorts
Of Work and
Hikes.

A Keoluk doctor who is IN the
medical officers training camp at
Fort Riley, Kansas, has written
very entertaining letter to The cate
City, telling what the government Is
doing to train it's medical men for
service Here is his letter:
well, we are in the big game now
1t is the biggest game have ever
played in. There is no room Tor the
white collar or gold lace we see IN
the pictures of officers in our army:
we are getting ready for war. !
am very glad / wore my white col
| lar and serge o. D. up and down
Main street in good old Keokuk the
day l left. l thought l looked SO
nice and you fellows all said looked
like a real soldier. That was because
you had formed your idea OF sol
| der from the picture on the back OF
Golfers Weekly. However, we were
able to look like the picture through
Kansas City, and on the train TILL we
arrived One hundred and sixty
seven of us got off at the same time.
There was one government truck
there to meet us so when the driver
saw how many there was he threw
his machine into high and dug out.
at was muddy, even though Kan
sas is a dry satte, and we walked
our mile and half to the adjutant's
office. presented our telegraphic in
structions and were assigned to quar-
tiers. Then the other 900 doctors
ieered the white collars and serge
suits of Of us, and we haven't seen
them since The real soldier wears
the cotton breeches, wool shirt, hat,
puttees and shoes; is hooted If he
even puts on a tie. This is work,
real work.
I'VE arise at a, M, roll call at
$50, breakfast at 600, calesthenics
at 700. on the hill to drill at 500.
at $3.50 lectures till noon. Dinner,
1900: 1880, lectures till 1920. then
the hike which is some hike (that
is the term used instead Of the
naughty word Sherman used in de-
scribing war;; have supper at six.
study till 1000, then retire. They
walk rapidly as they can till we are
tired, then run till we are just about
all in, then continue 100 yards after
you are all in. We lose six to eight
out of each company every day.
They are sitting out the weaklings
this way We have put two fellows
out of commission entirely; they will
likely be sent home. That seems to
be wrong, but in war times nothing
is considered but the ends hoped for.
We were given to understand no
compliments or credits would be
given for good work. as they expect
ed that, but they would see to it that
we got plenty if we didn't do good
work.
"Y6u scarcely realize how poorly
we were prepared for war. We can't
get slickers and clothing is out of
the question for us. There are 1900
troops here and have been told one
half are not equipped. They are
away short of doctors and a lot of
them were sent out last week. The
probabilities are we won't get to stay
for the full course as they are work
ing overtime to get us into physical
and mental shape to do the work
Every fellow who doesn't come and
do his bit makes 1t that much harder
on those of us who have come. We
are not complaining, however, as we
didn't expect a pleasure trip. We
have plenty to eat and good cooks
The water supply and food, as well
as our barracks are guarded day and
night, and if fellow would try to
approach, his accident insurance
/ would come due.
"Kindest regards to all Keokuk
! friends.
Zone of the boys in the NJ o. r.
c."