Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-17
CAMP DODGE FULLY ORGANIZED
TO RECEIVE SECOND CON-
rLNGENT OF RECRUITS.
DETAILS FOR REcEIvINe
AND REGISTERING MEN
Unr,istakabIe Evidence Of Enthusiasm,
Among Officers at Cantonment-Find
New Army Composed Of Same Class
Of Mon Who 40 Fighting Under
British General Haig.

Special to Times RepuDllcan.
Des Moines, Sept. 17.-By the end Of
this week fully half of the men who
are to make up the eighty eighth divl-
sion of the national army will have
assembled at Camp Dodge. Over $4,000
are to report for duty by Saturday,
the 22d. There are now some 1900 in
camp and about $500 officers.
With the experience Of receiving the
first 5 per cent who reached camp soon
after Sept 5, the officers are well or
ganized to care for the big contingent
to come this week. Every detail has
been carefully planned out with a view
to facilitating the work Of registering
and assigning the men to their bar
racks with dispatch. The men are be-
period starting the 10Th with certain
number to reach camp each day so
there will be no crowding.
There is an unmistakable evidence Of
enthusiasm among the officers in
charge at Camp Dodge over the MAX
ing OF what they say will be the great
est national army any country ever
knew and the men, too, are catching
this spirit Maj. Gen. E H. Plummer,
division commander, thoroughly and
heartily believes it and it Is realized
that he speaks out of long experience.
The other army men believe it, too.
They are the same class Of fellows
who are doing such magnificent work
under General Haig in France said
Maj. e. e. Lucas, Of the state adjutant
generals office, who has spent years in
the guard, who understands the spirit
of these middle western men and who
has been a close student of the war
in Europe. Those men under General
Haig are from the banks Of England,
from Oxford, from Cambridge, from the
stores factories, farms and all walks of
life in Great Britain. And the world
today is acclaiming Haig's drive one OF
the greatest in history"
General Plummer paid a tribute to
the men Saturday at the end Of the
first weeks training at the big canton
ment in which he said:
Show Rapid improvement.
II never saw men improve so quick
ly or show greater aptitude for military
work than these conscripted men who
have undergone the preliminary train
ing in this division.
Il started training men in drill work
at West Point forty-three years ago
and have been drilling mon ever since.
The manner in which the conscripted
men take up the, work Is far in ad-
vance Of any with whom have dealt
Each man has an earnest desire to
equip himself for the work. They are
all fine specimens Of manhood phys
ically and mentally. Few people realize
the mental strain under which a man
works who is learning the drill order
and command. His mind and muscles
must coordinate. 1t Is no easy mat
ter to master this work. but the con-
scripted men have done remarkably
WELL"
General Plummer further expressed
his belief that the progress Is char
acteristic Of western men. saying that
the American mind Is capable Of quick
err and broader development than that
Of any other nationality. He declared
the war department plan Of training
officers and men is superior to that Of
the national guard and in most cases to
that of the regular army.
Intensive training for the men at the
big camp started today. They have
sufficiently recovered from their sore
arms and first weeks trials in camp
life to be ready for hard work from
this time on, the officers believe.
Unusually fine weather prevailing the
latter half Of last week and forecastcd
to continue Is q big help out at the
camp. The workmen are finishing the
work rapidly. The sewer system ls
complete and the water system prac-
tically for turning on the water in all
parts Of the big cantonment. The bar,
racks are taking on an air Of comfort
and cheerlness which Is reflected in
the spirit Of the men.