The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-21

with Great Britain. IN 1917, rlIlemeH
for the first time wore uniforms or
gray instead of dark blue favored ever
since the Revolution. This was doubt
less because the British blockade along
our coasts prevented the importation
of blue cloth from Europe. However.
branch of the service, was worn for
years after the war. and is still worn
by West Point today.
Embroidered in Front.
The regular officers uniform of
this period, tho, was a dark blue sin
gle-breasted coat, embroidered in
front, reaching to the waist and taper
ing into long tails at the back, orna-
mented with yellow buttons and a
black leather waist belt; white or buff
riding breeches, with four buttons on
the knee and gilt knee buckles, and
a plain cooked hat without plume or
feather This was the most orna-
mental period of our military history.
| Gold lace. gold epaulettes and gold
sword hits were the fashion in some
branches of the service; hats of all
worn in others, and boots were made
| with, an absolute recklessness as to
| leather which would shock the boot
manufacturers of today.
Needless to say, with all these bril-
| liant garments, the American soldier
of 1912 was an excellent target for
any enemy, who couldn't help seeing
him, but inasmuch as the enemy was
| usually just as brilliantly arrayed, the
chances were about even. This tend
| ency for picturesque and conspicuous
| dress continued UP until a very recent
period of our history. In 1921, the
war department announced that dark
blue was the national color and should
thereafter be worn both by officers
and enlisted men. unless special or
F, derS were given to the contrary, but
this did not prevent the liberal use OF
reds and yellows for trimming. Grim
| son sashes that could be seen a mile
off were especially popular.
| Not until the Mexican war did the
| American army uniform become more
comfortable than ornamental, and this
was only while the actual military
campaigns lasted. 1t was dark blue
| with a short shell jacket very similar
to the khaki one in use today; the
trousers were loose and fell over the
boots, and the. caps were of the visol
| type, made of leather and fastening
| with a strap which came under tbs
chin.
Gradually thru the years the army
| uniform has become less ornate an6
| more adapted to the needs of war
Most of us are familiar with the uni
| form of the Civil war, which was GU
in simple lines of dark blue cloth, witt
comfortable shoes and soft felt hats
Since the Civil war the changes in the
uniform have been very few, with the
exception of the leather puttees an(
the new khaki color. The latter wa
borrowed from England, which frs
adopted the color in its work of colon
izing tropical countries 1t wa
found that khaki color-which is al
Indian word meaning color of ashe
and roses'-was not easily distinguish
ed at distance, and the military valu,
of this feature was just beginning t,
dawn upon the army.
In the war with Spain the field o
campaign lay in the tropics-in Cuba
in Porto Rico and in the Philippine
ISlands-so that the army was imme
diately put into khaki and provide,
with the tropical helmets of the typ
worn by the British army in India
This is how khaki happened to tax
the place Of the national color. darl
blue, in the American army. Their
was never anything like it in the arm
before; it is a far step from the ideal
of the revolutionary period It1eave
even the Civil war far behind But i
} khaki here ITO stay? 1t is doubtful
Styles in the American army are a
capricious as those of feminine Paris
and already there are clamors 70
changes.
Questions on the above or any sub
!, ject upon which the reader desires in
formation should be addressed the TIC
: peka State Journal Information Bu
reau. Frederic J. Haskin, Director
Washington, D. c., with 2-cent STAN
enclosed for replV