La Junta tribune., 1917-09-20
OUR SOLDIER BOYS AT DENnNc
What Our soldier Boy Officers Are
Doing At Camp Cody, Where
Guarslsu,en Arc in Training

A great majority OF the readers OF
the great family journal will remem-
Der the interesting Chilli" column
which was . feature OF this paper
two years ago. edited by Mr.. J. C.
O'Leary. who was located for q time
At the Mennonite Sanitarium. Mr..
O'Leary is now city editor of the
Headlight. of Deming. N. NJ. and
writes very interesting description
OF life and conditions at Camp
Cody. where Lieutenants Russell
Draper. William Winchell and Lee
Darlington. all Of this city. and who
recently received commissions at
Fort Riley. are now located assisting
in the work Of training $4,000 Ma
tional Guardsmen. Mr.. O'Leary
promises additional contributions.
which we are quite sure will be ap-
preciated by readers OF the old home
town paper. The first epistle to the
La Juntaites 10 a. follows:
thought perhaps you might care
for line from this front" since
some Of the La Junta officers are
now on duty here. have intended
At various times. sending you some
correspondence from Deming. but
we have had just one thing after an
other to engage our attention from
the villa raid to the Bisbee tea par
ty. Now we are endeavoring to ab-
sorb an army here OF about $4,000
National Guardsmen. which Is quite
an undertaking for 4 community Of
less than $500 Inhabitants. Our
experience in the past here with
troops has been delightful and satis-
factory. I am asked by persons from
all over the country how Deming.
one Of the smallest cities in the
country. ever secured large train
ing camp. I think that our accom-
plishment Is a wonderful example
Of what can be achieved by con-
centrated community effort. We
have . real Chamber Of Commerce.
In . permanent building. where =
secretary IL always on the Job to re-
ceive visitors or answer Inquiries
about Deming and Luna county. In
quiries by mail are answered prompt
ly and literature is mailed to those
who are seeking information about
this country. We have secured a
flour mill. smelter and canning fac
tory In the last year. besides having
the city designated as 4 site for one
Of the thirty-two camps distributed
throughout the nation. We present
ed our resources and advantages In
. businesslike way TO the war de-
partment. and the commander of the
Southern Department, at San Anton
10. Everything that was required
by the specifications Of the military
authorities was prepared as careful
ly as 4 legal brief. and when the
hoard Of officers. headed by Major
General Henry A. Green. visited the
city. selecting locations for training
camps. he said that our proposition
was laid out as nicely. II not more
70. than that OF any place visited.
He also said that there was less ev-
idence Of graft In Deming than In
any city he had been.
We made the soldiers OF the sourth
Separate Brigade feel At home here
last year. At the time the Pershing
expedition was operating south from
Columbus. which town II Just thirty
miles from Us ON the Mexican line.
The secretary Of war IL quoted ~
telling our committee In Washing
ton that there WAS not n city on
the border which treated the Ma.
tionai Guard last year with half the
kindncss and courtesy that Deming
did. 30 you see that II pays for
municipalities TO be kind and con-
siderate ~ well as individuals. ! may
be an ideaiist. and perhaps many
In this community are also. but ! be-
ievs with Henry Ford that there IL
no difference between ideals and
practical common ssase. aud the
osly trouble nov u that people have
not The courage 10 put their ideals 10
work. Major Charles n. Miller.
constsuctias quartsrmastsr Of Camp
Cody. ~ engineer Of renown and .
Aan vhn tnanapna uAors lova1tv A..
votioa and sustained work on the
part Of bis staff thaa any man !
ever tnsw. told ne yesterday that
n the the people Of other cities
weuld come 70 Dsaing asd witness
tie ee-epesstSoa. euick setien aAd
sesviee which The army receives here.
they veulA unAssstan1 WY De0lMg
was eolssls1 evss nAay larger aaA
ness iallusatial places.
csno cs1y's eeestion vas eae of