Williams news., 1917-11-22

and COmStOck are listed among the ar chitects. All are young men but they come from the best offices in the Unit ed States and many already have made names for themselves. Leslie Thrash CT, who draws the striking frontis- pieces for the Saturday Evening Post, Is rookie in the awkward squad. Men of this stamp are appearing at the camp every day, and enliStmentS are coming in so fast that Major Tracy has had his hands full dealing with them. The spirit of the command Is an inspiration to the layman.
 While the achievements of the French in camouf1age are well known, and the American organization is in it's infancy, 1t has been worth much to the men to know that General Pershing really is eager for their services. Half their day is given to experiments in their own peculiar line, and they are confident that the problems they will be called upon to solve are relatively simple. The art of concealment has most to, fear from the cameras of the enemy, for many an object which ap- pears innocent to the eye is remorse- lessly exposed by the lens and the plate. Knowing this, the men are con- ducting a series of experiments in col OratiOn which are carefully being test ed out photographically. An artificial green which would deceive a natural ist at few hundred yards might show black under the merciless gaze of the camera, and the artists already have mastered a secret of fooling the lens. They have invented a grass which can be turned out in quantities by ma chine and used as a covering, and they have learned so to color it that it will defy detection. One of their first eX- periments was upon an humble latrine, which they so disguised that at enemy distance it was invisible. They have taken to the trenches, and already have discovered a method whereby a rifle man equipped with a proper helmet can be so concealed that whole regi- ment might slowly arise from their places to fire without the enemy noting a particle of change in the appearance of the background. The sniper or sharpshooters is one of the most use- full soldiers on the battle front, and uni- forms are being devised which will be
 
 scape. A fake road is being planned, at the end of which will be placed dummy cannon, while the real cannon are concealed hundreds of yards away. One of the arts of camouf1age is to make certain that the object to be con- cealed contains all the color values of it's background, and the artists know that if one color is omitted the object at once becomes very noticeable.
 The men are working in conjunction with the Signal Corps of the army at Fort Myer, and their experiments will be tested out thoroughly with airplanes and cameras. It is not pretended that the major part of the training can be undertaken in this country or that these professional men, however high their standing, can teach the French. It has been demonstrated already, how ever, in the month. in which the first increment has been in training, that the company can acquire certain gen. eral principles which will prove useful in whatever work they may undertake in the future. The combination of ar lists and architects is valuable one, for while the colorations of the one group are necessary, the designs of the other are equally important. The men have no doubt, that the American ca mouf1eurs will prove their utility on the battlefield and that their work will result in the saving of thousands of soldier lives. The finishing touches must be put on in France, but at Camp Americah University the groundwork is being laid for a service which is wholly unique in character and de- manding as much of patriotism, self sacrifice and daring as any that Amer jeans on the European battlefront will perform.-Boston Transcript.