The Washington herald., 1917-11-04
DISTRICT men
At MEADE Get
PAID IN FULL
Amount Recently Held Out
by Error Added to
Regular Sum.
By ANDREW h. KELLEY.

s-To the majority of the soldiers,
the most interesting event con-
nected with today's activities was
the regular monthly visit to Capt
Eugene Foster. camp paymaster,
who started the distribution of ST.
100000 among the uniformed pop
ulation OF the cantonment.
The majority of the District men
will draw their first full months
pay from Uncle Sam. in addition
an amount that was Inadvertently
left out of their envelopes in their
first pay installment que TO an er-
ror of the local boards.
There were football games, Soc
Ger matches, running events and
athletic competitions of all kinds in
every section Of Meade today and
King Sport reigned supreme.
Just as soon as the various units
are recruited up to their full
strength and the men are all uni
formed the date Of the first divis-
ional review will be announced. 1t
Is expected that big delegation
from the District, including the
Commissioners and the exemption
boards will pay Camp Meade in a
body and witness what the intensive
training has accomplished for the
men.
Night Mnneuvers Planned.
Within a short time a series Of
night manoeuvers. in line with the
program Of progressive field train
ing, will be started. with detach-
ments of 400 men each sent hiking
across country under sealed or
dcrs" 1t is the element or mystery
and the prospect of meeting an un-
suspected enemy that makes the
men enter into this work with Zest
and there will be no grumbling over
the extra work. according to Off
GERS who have participated in these
movements.
The French officers who have
come from "over there" to teach
the American soldiers the fine points
of modern warfare as it affects en-
gineering. are Sergeant Albert
NORM, of the Tenth Engineers.
Sergeant Jean Courtin, who will di-
rect his attention to the Signal
Corps; Capt. Lantz, Lieut.. Martin
eau and Sergeant Guy lie Breton.
who is an expert in heavy artillery
and the manipulation of the French
"seventy-fives" and carries the
cross Of the legion of honor.
These French officers will institute
practice also and instruct in the
throwing of dummy hand grenades,
filed with harmless explosive. They
express themselves as finding the
American boys adept at learning the
fner points of warfare.
Trench Digging Comes Next.
Work with the pick and shovel in
the digging and building of trenches
will begin in earnest for the District
boys next week. All have become
sufficiently hardened to be able to
stand this work and are eager to get
IL completed and begin actual expe-
rience in the trenches.
The regular Saturday half holiday
found 30 per cent OF the Twelfth Ma
chine Gun Battalion released on ~
hour leave for visits to relatives in
Washington. Another big delegation
will leave tomorrow.
Ambitious soldiers in the ranks are
hard at work in the non-corns school
and spend the greater part of their
spare time ir study to fit themselves
for the examinations which will fol-
low their registration for appointment
as noncommissiOned officers
Some criticism has been directed at
the rigid mentality tests, insanity
tests and all others having anything
to do with other than the physical
condition of the men as 'all non
sense" and carried on for the purpose
of furnishing employment to a certain
class OF medical specialists.
These examinations are proceeding
under the direction of Surgeon General
Gorgas. Defending their effectiveness,
one of the high medical officers in the
army said: 1T Is undoubtedly true
that Of the 200 or 300 doctors engaged
n this work not one has entered the
service except at great financial sacri-
hce He could have made twice to
three times the money he has received
from tho government by attending to
his private practice.
On Watch for Insanity.
1.-The diseases which have been
sought out include mental defects.
epilepsy. physcopathic personality and
abnormal conditions Of the central
uevoUs system.
According to dependable statistics
three out OF every thousand go insane
at home during times of peace: six to
seven out of 1000 during war service
: at home. and an undetermined. though
far greater. number when serving in
q fOreiCn land.
mere are many people who will
Inevitably break down under the
strain. anxiety and horror of modern
warfare. BY keeping such men out of
the army its strength is far greater;
fever men will fall ill and much suf-
fering will be saved.
by such precautionary methods
the army is now developing men of
thu highest professional efficiency and
training, who, after the war is over,
will go back to their civil employ