The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-12-27
GAS AND FLAME REGIMENT, NOW
IN CAMP IN WASHINGTON,
NEEDS VOLUNTEERS.
LIKELY TO GO ACROSS SOON
Chemists, Electrical, Mechanical and
Explosive Experts and Others Are
Wanted to Fill Up This orgznixa.
tion and Go to Europe.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.

4
ment.
1t is perhaps needless to say that the
name here given to the organization is
not the one by which IL is officially
known. Rightly 1t Is the Gas and
Flame regiment" or otherwise the
Thirtieth United States engineers, a
battalion of which Is now in camp on
the American university grounds In
this city.
1t Is at the same camp hat the not
ed camoufiage battalion was organized
and is 10Y In training. The gas and
fame outfit is under organization on
the strength of a request received
from General Pershing for a body of
men to do pioneer work In the front
line trenches.
Ihe immediate need of the Hell Fire
regiment Is for $50 privates. 80 chem
lists. IL interpreters who speak French,
II electrical experts, "a mechanical
experts, Il explosive experts, 10 gas
experts, @ blacksmiths, 10 steam engi-
neers, 8 carpenters. s gas engineers,
Q plumbers, 8 ire-fghters. 81 chauf-
ANuIEs L. NOOkSt O CltEnS, q uitSS SGT
geants and 2 supply ~sergeants.
Men who have the necessary expert
ence may be assigned to special duty
and given noncommissioned ranks ut
pay ranging from $3.50 to 500 a
month and expenses, which include
food, clothing. medical attendance and
transportation. Men who enlist will
be eligible Immediately for promotion
viii Soon Get Into Action.
1t virtually Is certain that the men
In the He'll Fire battalion Of the Thir-
ueth engineers will quickly have a
chance for real service on the battle
front. IL Is taken for granted that
they will 60 to France earlier than
the men In many other commands and
they will be at the head OF the FIRST
big American offensive which opens
after their arrival. Flame and gas
men naturally have to be the van
guard In many instances of an attack
ing force.
The battalion now under organiza-
ton here is under the command Of
Maj. Il. J. Atkinson, corps of engf-
neers, a graduate Of Cornell university
and West Point, who has specialized
In electrical and mechanical engineer
ing. For Is months he worked under
General Sibert on the Gatun locks on
the Panama canal.
When the regiment reaches France
Il will be In command Of Col. Amos
T~iar N paUrlau cfF~or ~ opoinaara
and already attached to the American
army I'm France. Colonel Fries In Of
ficial documents Ii given the formal
title of "chief Of the gas service"
No man can enlist In the Hell Fire
regiment IL he already has been called
by his local board for the draft. but
other men can enter the service and
the age limit Is higher than that for
the draft army. IL the battalion, which
later will become a regiment, cannot
be filled by the volunteer process men
will be drafted from the selected army
to hll the ranks. II Is believed, how
ever, that the opportunity offered for
service Of this kind will make trans
fers from the drafted service unneces-
sary. Information can be had from
the nearest regular army recruiting
station.
Elaborate Experiments Made.
For months one Of the great build
ings of the American university has
been given over exclusively 10 tbs
making of experiments In gas and
flame warfare under the direction OF
the bureau Of mines. The best chem
lists available have been engaged In re
search work In connection with the ex
periments and some of the results oh
tanned are said to be wonderful. The
army authorities apparently have beer
provided with complete information
concerning the chemistry and appli
ances used by both the German ant
the allied armies, but there also hai
been much independent investigation
and the combination of results 1t 1
believed has produced a deadly Ell
cheney.
The American chemists and design
ers not only are confident that alread,
they have matched the effectiveness
Of the Germans In the use of thes
new instrumentalities of war, but the
believe that the new inventions ar
being and can be developed which vii
make the gas and fame regiment o
the United States the terror of tn
battlefield.
Awful as may be the contemplate
Of the employment OF such agencie
for the killing Of men. the army ths
goes up against the German attack
confronted with the simple fact this
1t either must be wiped out OF mus
wipe out the Germans. Armament
powerless II the men to operate 1t ar
gassed In their tracks or are shrivele
M Ii flames. Something more powel
ful to Onset the satanic devices Of tn
Hun must be supplied or the Hun wi
conquer. The allies are now lookin
to America to beat the Germans
their own game; and America no
calls upon her chemists and her ~
Ghanies to accomplish tAis result