The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-06-21
Leave Ambulance Corps to Take
Up Army Transportation
Service.
RIGID ROUTINE IS FOLLOWED
Course Of Training is Really an IN
tenslve Course" to FIJI Men in Short
est Possible Time to Take Com
mand of Transports.

Paris.-Fifteen Americans have ex-
changed the strenuous life OF the am
bulance field service (Which had in
tervals In its strenuoslty) to study to
become officers in the French army
transportation service at a school
where the course seems TO leave no
opening for the proyerbial finder Of
employment for idle hands
This shcool was established 10
Meaux toward the end of last March
and had $50 French pupils, officers and
noncommissioned officers In training
when the American contingent Joined
a week ago The course is exactly
the same for French and Americans
but the Americans are kept In a spe-
clal class for the sake OF those that
need English-speaklng instructors.
At 5 30 In the morning everyone is
up and must be dressed, have made
his bed and had breakfast in time TO
answer his name at roll call at B:25
As regards breakfast, the American
stomach found that It could not do Il
mornings hard work on the regulation
French breakfast of coffee and bread
so eggs and bacon have been added
From 6 30 to 7 80 theory is studied,
and from Z 80 to o 80 lectures on au-
tomobile technique are given, followed
by practical work In the workshop,
such as soldering metals. temperlng
steel and all sorts Of forge work.
Busy Session in Afternoon.
Luncheon at eleven is taken in the
mess shed, and u.s. ike dinner later, an
excellent example of that proficiency
in cuisine for which France Is unri-
vailed. At first the II Americans sat
together. but on the second day their
French comrades gave n dinner In
their honor, and after that the Ameri-
cans (who still wear their field section
unlforms) divided up among the other
tables.
From u 40 to . 80 p. m. on three
afternoons week, work is done on the
bodies Of cnnlons military trucks)
they are dssected and put together
again, etc. on the other three after
moons the convoi (train) Of CamlOns,
generally eight. are taken out as If
they were on actual service. Each man
IN turn Ia named head of the section
(and Is In general charge for the day..
Orders are given him to take Il hypo-
thetcal load Of munitions to some
point some miles away, and he has to
conduct his train by the map, set the
pace, keep them together, and show
them how 10 overcome difficulties that
arise These difficulties are ut present
chiefly imaginary but Hypothetical
cases Of broken axles, Of towing cars
etc, are treated.
The lieutenant attached to the Amer
lean group, Lieutenant de Kersauson,
whose long residence in California has
given him a perfect mastery Of the
American language. accompanies the
train, but gives no advice, only OBJ
serves. If the officer OF the day mis-
takes his route, he has to find out his
error and rectify II himself. After
the return at AS the lieutenant gives
half-hour criticism Of the convol's
work and points out mistakes made
and how TO avoid them.
Evening Spent in Study.
Dinner is at $50, and more study
follows till 10 p. m, when all lights
are put out. Such program, with
plenty Of manual work in the open air,
provides enough exercise, but regular
army drill is put in three times