The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-04-13
They are a COntented Bunch
and all Anxious to Be-
come Fit.
LIKE THEIR OFFICERS
Physically the Men Examin-
ed Here We're Way
Above Average.

Talk may be heard about the city
at times Of the conditions existing at
the mobilization camp at the Fair
grounds as regards food for the men.
Those who know, who have seen, of
course praise the system and the Sup.
ply company, but those have listen.
ed to talk only. have treat in store
for them. They should visit the camp
ut once and see te fellows who are
expected to protect our quiet and
peaceful homes and study the pro.
visioning methods. Every company
has its own mess tent and its own cook
shack. 1t has its own cooks and its
own kitchen. police who look after the
welfare of the men during meal hours.
1t is very seldom that you can notice
any man completing his full meal.
ley are always given more than they
can eat and it is cooked as only ex.
pert camp cooks can do it.
The men have oat meal, rice, cream
OF wheat, eggs, potatoes. bread, mo.
lasses, pan cakes, jelly, steaks, beef,
pork. bacon, ham. stewed fruits, but.
ter, milk, coffee. pies, etc. They are
given all they want TO eat and more
and they are well provided with cloth.
ing and beds. After the first few
dreary, muddy, Shiny days the boys
began to like the outdoors and all
now claim they have never felt better
in their lives. They insist that, were
it not for the fact that they are leav.
ing behind friends, jobs, relatives and
opportunities they would find no fault
at all with army life.
They are treated we'll by their cap
tains, their superior officers being
very friendly with all the men and
since the troops have been modified
there has been but one case Of an Of
ficer being discourteous and he is in
position where the men themselves
seldom chance to come in contact with
him. He's jolly good fellow himself
but has been accused perhaps false
ly, all through the camp of discount.
esy.
West Virginian soldiers, 1t has been
proved. are among the cleanest, man
lness bunch that have been mustered
into the Federal service for sometime.
They are each and all anxious to
please. They want to learn the game,
are furnishing for knowledge of war
tactics and are living among the best
physical specimens in the country.
Physicians. putting the boys through
touch physical examinations claim
that there is less percentage of dis
charges in the West Virginia ranks
of the National guard now than was
the case on the border during mobili-
cation last summer in the Villa case.
The cases developing here, where men
would be unable to pass examination
amounted to less than four to 100.
The attention they are receiving at
camp will improve this condition and
by the time they receive orders to
demobilize there will be none more
physically fit.
The orders at present call for the
men doing duty in various sections OF
the state. They will drill, every day
during their absence, will go through
regular schooling and perhaps by the
time the army-for-war is modified
there will be a great many of the
West Virginia privates and n on-com'
missioned officers get commissions in
the army The boys are working for
this. They have been told that there
was such a probability and they make
no bones of the fact that they want to
get out of West Virginia and take a
chance somewhere in France or il
necessary in Mexico. They want &C.
ton and should they progress during
the coming weeks as well as they have
been for the past few days 1t will be
necessary to send them to the front.