The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-08-10
SAmmEES
VERY APT
. STUDENTS !!
British Instructors Sur
prised AWAY Yam
KEGS Pick Up
War Tricks

tesy of the war and foreign offices, a
staff correspondent Of the Associated
Press has been permitted to visit the
American troops at their billets in
England. They We're found cncamped
in Il valley in which white tents cx-
tended rs far rs the eye could see.
with British officers and a squad of
non commissioned Officers intensively
training them.
These British instructors were busy
making soldiers from men who until n
few weeks ago never saw an auto
matte pistol or a gas mask and they
were quite pleased at the success of
their efforts for the Americans tAey
say learn quickly, understand thor
oughly and do not forget what has
been told them. Moreover. they con
slider remarkable the way in which the
Americans OF the engineer corps held
themselves to discipline. when they
realize It is all important in the con
duct of the war.
Use Gas Masks.
Today the Americans are working
with gas masks. The instructors break
members stand in n circle and get
lessons in quick adjustment. a feat
which often means life or death.
1t is question of uuickness or
DEATH" the Instructor told the Amer
in the operation.
The Americans are being instructed
i'll the use of several varieties of
~ nSl. Of
hangman's cap and others adjusting
like the apparatus of a wireless tele-
graph receiver over their heads. Once
speedy in the adjustment OF mask the
| Americans are taken to the gas
| trenches. where they walk through
| deadly fumes to the open plain where
| just n little of various gases are lib
| Grated from the tanks. This is done
so that the soldiers will learn to recoe-
nize the smell and recognizing 1t. take
no more than one whiff The gas in
structions takes up much of the time
OF the Americans, The remainder is
/ given to calesthenics and infantry
drills for the officers and men. And
ii is a long day--from s As o'clock in
the morning until 10 o'clock at night.
Many Railway Men.
Most of the men at this encampmcnt
are from the railways of America.
| They are made up from the operating
and construction divisions of the rail
ways and they are working hard In or
der to be ready to construct and
operate roads In Franco and to fight
for this privilege il necessary. Some
of the companies are made up of men
/ from roads anthrinu
Pittsburgh and some New York: but
the men themselves come from all
over the country. Many OF them al :
ready have been through instructions
at camp.
OF weather and mud already has been
mad. some OF the companies from the
Chicago line arrived at the camp In a
driving rain. which continued for four
days. The ground was a sea of mud
ana when finally the sun broke through
the cloud roof the whole camp gave
three cheers for It. The remainder OF
the day the men were to be seen
hanging their shoes and clothing IN
the sun to dry.
British Pleased.
The British officers at the camp are
highly pleased with the appearance
and adaptability of the Americans and
with the scheme of enrolling the rail
road men in separate units. One of
ficer said today:
These men OF yours are all healthy
husky and intelligent and should dc
honor to their country and themselves
The American plan OF putting railroad
| int IN,
We should have done that at the be,
ginning of the war. We would hay.
beeV better Off. Many men such n.
railway operatives and men from tn,
construction forces are infinitely more
able for that work than in the trenches
and can serve the country better.
THE trained man on a job he thor
onghly understands, makes the mos
efficient unit. These men when the,
reach the field Of operations can ru,
a military railroad or kill Germans
Therefore they are doubly valuable"
sammees and Gunner. Minols.
The Americans and the British from
nearby camps. especially the Cana
dians, fraternize freely at all times an,
spend much of their leisure togethel
At the gas trenches the American
mingle with the British at instruction
the campaign hats of the American
being sandwiched between the caps g
the Tommies.
The Americans some times NEE
trouble In conversing with the British
ers. AS yet the Americans do not un
derstand cockney speech well and tn
Cockneys themselves have some littl
trouble in understanding the idiom
OF the men from Chicago and Ne,
York. American and British flas
float over the camp from the sam
pole. and to quote the adjutant of or
Of the battalions. 'they mix well, bot