The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-08-10
Associated Press Correspondent
Visits the Billets in England
Where Rockies Are Being
Whipped Into Shape.
PARTICULAR STRESS LAID
ON GAS MASK INSTRUCTION
This Is One Of the Important Fea.
lures of Present-day Warfare, as
an Instant's Delay Generally
Means Death; A Happy Family.
~ Associated Presa.

~ AhsociateO ffeee'
London. Aug iO.--Through the
courtesy OF the war and foreign offices.
staff correspondent OF the Asso-
ciated Press has been permitted to
visit the American troops at their
billots In England. They were found
cncampcd In "A valley In which white
tents extended as far as the eye could
sec with British officers and a squad
of non-oommissioned officers inten-
siyely training them.
These British instructors were busy
making soldiers from men who until
a few weeks ago never saw an auto
matte pistol or gas mask, and they
were quite pleased at the success OF
their efforts, for the Americans. they
say. learn quickly. understand thor
| oughly aud do not forget what has
been told them. Moreover. they con-
| slider remarkable the way In which
! the Americans OF the engineer corps
| bend themselves TO discipline when
| they realize II Is all-important In the
conduct OF the war.
Today the Americans are working
with gas masks The instructors
break up Companies into squads and
| the members stand in a circle and get
lessons In quick adjustment. a feat
which often means life or death.
1T IS question OF quick or dead"
the Instructor told the Americans and
after that no time was lost In the
operation.
! Scc,raI Varieties OF Masks.
The Americans are being instructed
IN the use Of several varieties OF
masks. some of them resembling a
hangmans cap and others adjusting
like the apparatus OF "A wireless tele-
graph receiver over the heads Once
speedy In the adjustment OF the mask.
the Americans are taken TO the gas
trenches, where they walk through
deadly fumes and to the open plaiu
where just a little OF various gases
are liberated from tanks. This Is
done SO that the soldiers will learn
to recognize the smell, and recogniz-
ing II, take no more than one whih.
The gas instruction takes up much
Of the time of the Americans. The
remainder Is given 10 calesthenics and
infantry drills for the officers ani
men And II is a long day-from
5;i5 o'clock IN the morning until 10
o'clock at night
Most OF the mou at this encamp-
ment are from the railways OF Amer
lea They are made up from the
operating and construction divisions
of the railways ana they are wOrkinl
hard IN order to be ready TO construed
and operate roads IN France and q
fight for this privilege. II necessary
Some OF the companies sre made az
OF men from roads entering Chicago
and som" from Pittsburgh and New
YORK. But the men themselves cont
from an over the country. Many q
them already have been through In
Istructions at camp.
Old SOL L. Checrcd.
a taste of what ia coming in tn
way of weather and mud already hai
been had Some Of the companic
from tho Chicago lines arrived at tn
camp In 81 driving rain which contin
ued for four days. The ground WAS
sea Of mud and when finally the SUI
broke through the cloud-roof tn
whole camp gave three cheers for 4
IThe remainder Of the day the mel
were 10 be seen hanging their shoe
and clothing In the sun 60 dry
The British officers al the cam
are highly pleas with the appear
= ancc and adaptabhiiy of the Amer
leans and with the scheme % en-
rolling the railroad men in soparat
units one officer said today.
These men ~ yours are all health,
husky aud intelligent and should q
honor a. their country and th"mselN ri
The American plan of putting raj
road mon into separate units ~ -
Ivcllcni We should have done that q
the beginning Of the war We woul
have been better of Many met
such as railway operatives aud me
from tho construction forces are h
fiuitely more able for that work tina
in the trenches and can serve n
country better
THE trained man In the ia
who thoroughls understands MAKE
the most efficient unit These mt
when they reach the field of oTeratiu
can run "a milo railroad or XIII Ge
mans Therefore they are doub
valuable
TratcrniAc Freely,
The Americans and the Briih
from nearby camps. especially Il
Canadians fraternize freely al
times aud spend much 81 their leisu
together AZ the gas trenches q
Americans mingle with the British 4
structiou. the campaign hats of q
Americans being sandwiched betwe'
the caps OF the "rommies."
The Americans sometimes me
with trouble In conversing with q