The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-06

Boys from the farms and factories
IN overalls, boys from the stores and
ofrices in white collars and silk shirts,
boys with Khaki trousers and civilian
shirts. boys in complete khaki uni
forms, men beyond the 3O-year mark,
officers in natty uniforms-these are
the "Sammies'' in camp in Topeka to-
day, the second day of mobilization
for actual service in the worlds war
against Germany and her allies. The
picture they present would be a repe-
tition of pictures of the "Colonials'' of
rs, if it were not for the twentieth
century cut to the clothing of the lads.
1 At midnight while the men were
asleep, they were automatically placed
in the federal service. They are no
longer Kansas National. Guardsmen.
They are a part of the United States
army.
Federal officers in charge of Capt.
William F. Sharp. u. S. A, arrived in
Topeka today preparatory to muster
ing the men into the federal service.
Just when they will begin work is not
known. The task of mastering in
is long and tedious. Each man must
be placed on the federal roll. he must
be examined by medical reserve Of
ficers and typhoid vaccinations NJ ust
be administered.
If the mastering in" process works
the same this summer as it did last
summer when the guards were ex-
amined by federal officers at Fort
Riley, a good percentage of the men
will be eliminated from service on ac-
count of physical imperfections- There
is no sentiment in the federal physical
examination. The vaccine points
necessary to vaccinate the men have
not arrived and it is not known when
the vaccinations will be given Medical
reserve officers from all parts OF Kan
fn a
Topeka preparatory for the wholesale
vaccination of all units in the state.
Cooks at Work.
All anpears chaos to the initiated
In the half dozen camps in Topeka
where the men are stationed, there IS
only one department where there IS
something tangible in progress That
in the cook tents Today at noon
every military unit in Topeka ate its
FIRST meal. Sunday, some of the units
were fed in restaurants while others
ate at their camps. But today they
all had their first mess.
Boiled beef, potatoes. lemonade
! bread AMI butter and onions seemed
Ito be the popular bill of fare in each
camp. The smell from the cooks
tents created a longing in the stom-
achs of the men an hour before the
mess call was blown.
Out at the fair grounds where Bat
tery A. the headquarters company of
the First infantry. including the band.
and sanitary detachment are en-
camped, a truly military appearance
has been taken on already. The bat
terry men. half of them, veterans of
the near war on the Mexican border
have their tents pitched and have set
tied down to the daily routine of camp
life.
Capt William McLain. command
ing, has divided the battery in two
/ halves One half remains on duty all
! day The other half is given leave
at noon and may remain away from
camp until reveille at o'clock in the
morning. The entire battery drills in
the morning and then the other half
is given similar leave.
The battery has loaned tents to the
headquarters company and sanitary
detachment. Neither of these units
has any equipment, excepting a few
uniforms some of the men purchased
themselves Capt Arthur Mills. COM
manding the headquarters company.
had the men divided in squads this
morning, each squad commanded by a
sergeant. The sergeants alternated in
teaching the men setting mp exercises
and giving them lectures on their du-
| ties. The sanitary detachment under
went similar drill.
Companies Mess Together.
The battery and headquarters COM
CONTINUED Page Two.B