The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-10-21
REPORTERS PERFORM
Their BIT IN RAINBOW
Scores Of Newspaper Men
Are Now in Uniform at
Camp Mills, L. |.
SOMETHING IN NAME
Last Link Connecting Be.
tween New Soldering
Game and Old Ties.

Camp Mills, Garden City. l.. Lit
may have been the lure of the name
which adds attraction to the Rainbow
division. At any rate, one will probab-
" have to travel far to find SO many
''news hounds" in one division as IN
that commanded by Major General w.
A. Mann.
For the accredited correspondents
covering the Rainbow division there
Is a Western Union telegraph office.
an improvised shanty at the head of
Camp Mills. 1t looks like a shack 1t
is a shack, but to the former newspa-
per reporters now in uniform 1t is far
more than a Woody, wooden w. U.
wigwam. It is the last unbroken tie
between their new game of soldering
and the game they gave up for Uncle
Sam.
Just as SO many moths are attracted
to q night lamp, SO are the o. d.
9arbed former writer's in the Rainbow
division attracted to the wigwam at
the hour when the correspondents with
the division gather each evening 70
hammer out report of the days
events in Camp Mills.
The Clans Gather.
When the lights over the correspond
ents typewriter are brightest, you'll
zee them struggling in through the en-
trance. They stand ut the rail looking
longingly at the crowd scrapping over
tho lone typewriter, muster grin
when the controversy is settled and
some belligerent gets first CALI Oh
the machine.
'Who are you with. old top?"
That's their customary greeting. pro-
viding they are not already acquaint-
ances. The correspondent addressed
recognizes the greeting afar. drops his
work and answers promptly. He knows
what's coming. The uniformed visitor
has his mouth already set to say: Il
used to be with such and such a sheet.
Joined such and such an outfit"
The foreword and introduction are
always the same. The correspondent
still in harness invariably wishes that
he might be on the other side of the
rail. also in uniform. There's linger-
Ing regret on the other side that the
soldier can't down.
Many From Bush Leagues.
A few of these visitors at the wig
wan are former news writer's on large
dailies. but the, majority hail from the
bush leagues. That however, doesn't
affect the fraternity. 1t is also true
that practically all are noncoms. men
who went in as privates and are work.
ing their way towards commissions.
How did they enlist? Well, most Of
them were in close proximity to ma
tional guard outfits at the beginning OF
Americas end of the war. and prompt
~ Joined up.
n:r~v>t fol n
Lieutenant Norton with a good berth
in division headquarters, leaned over
the rail and we exchanged the usual
greetings. He asked little bit fear
fully II knew anybody in Milwaukee;
he had quit the Sentinel there few
months ago and gone after commits
sion.
"I once worked on the sheet" ] said
Meeting q man who'd worked at one
time on his paper delighted him more
than being asked to lunch with gen.
eral. :.
Former chieauoan Shows.
Who should stamp In tonight but q
tall. rangy fellow wearing the uniform
of the One Hundred and Sixty eighth
infantry from Iowa. He was former
City News bureau reported. big Jack
Ball, and when he learned ! was from
Chicago the words tumbled out in tor
rents as he asked solicitously about ole
friends since he buried himself in De'
Moines, where he enlisted.
The other morning New York cor
respondent who helps keep bachelor
hall'> with me in Long Island hom'
at the head of Camp Mills, brought IL
and introduced the arlny's first Off
ci11 photographer. He was Jacl
Price, formerly with Chicago paper
Price has a darkroom in basemen
near Camp Mills-a room fitted III
with every appliance that can be fount
in any first -class photograph depart
ment of a newspaper office. He has
staff of enlisted men whom he ma
been teaching the use of the camera
Recently he came here from New Jer
sey, where he started the first officia
photographers school for Uncle Sam
paying for mist of his equipment out o
his own pocket.
Interesting Characters.
The interesting characters withil
and surrounding life at Camp Mills ar
legion. For instance, there's Miss Aiic'
Blum, a silver-haired French woman
who has been teaching soldiers French
with Frank Vanderbilt, president OF IN
National City bank, who started HE
q Tribune reporter. paying the bills.
Miss Blum is q University Of Pari
graduate. who has been teachin
Americans in Paris to talk French 10
the last quarter of a century
National Guard Officers