The Washington times., 1917-11-15
j. S. REDBLOODED
CHALLENGE SATAN
! WITH 'HELLF|RERS'

n his satanic majesty happened 70
:. eop around at the American Univsr-
ity training camp today, he would
se the "Hellfre battalion" at work
nd blush with envy.
On the War Department records the
attalion Is known as The Gas and
lame Battalion Of the Thirtieth regi-
lent engineers" But throughout the
-rmy they are known as THE He'll
re Boys"
This name Is literally descriptive.
\ group of red-blooded Americans,
host OF them youths, are daily train
: az In gas and iame lighting, and
earning how 70 make q real inferno
the Germans.
Gas and 1ame lighting Is a new
wrinkle IN the American army, but
he aaeIlfre" battalion has taken to
Z a. the duck takes to water It IL
volunteer organization. There Is a
General rush Of engineers TO get
Transfers to the battalion, for 1t ofers
more adventure and action than al
most any other branch Of the service.
seen GSIng To France.
The @Hellhre Battalion" Is going
Sver there, within short time. To-
lay they are preparing for the trip
md getting into shape for the ocean
zfoyaTe. Full equipment has been
ssued TO them and they expect TO see
.ction as soon as they arrive. There
Will be no long period In training
amps for the eHellfre Boys" They
vfii 20 Immediately to the front
Ehere they viii train with Frencn
ana British rgassers."
Thousands OF dollars have been
spent In research work for the Aeil-
ire Battalion" As q result they are
rolng 70 Europe equipped with gas
mask that experts claim far surpa,ses
Artvthing IA use now Moreover ny
Eili take with them a. ammunilloa
tnnks ana tanks Of -hellhre' that are
recent inventions.
ColorIsss Gas Carried.
Chlorine gas has been made obHo-
fsfa- It's color betrsys its presence.
ne American chemists have COM
BOUNDED coiorless gases which are a.
Elective and give no secrets away 70
: be enemy.
Z Gas fighters are now using chieny
two instruments-the gas sneif eno
the gas wave. The gas NGNS -
turnsd loose from the trenches ana
erarn bahlnd the lines. Experts have
i1v1ared that the gas attack, although
Invented by the Germans, works 20
ne advantaRe OF the allies The
wiudg over France are ocean winds.
md drive inland. As a result 30 per
cent OF the days during the last year
wern favorable for the "gassers OF the
allies ana unfavorsble for the Ger
z Bsesne snoke Artists
In addition TO gas work. the hell
ere bovsS are becoming smoke artists.
Thev are practicing daily with smoke
clouds. Over the campus at American
IIuIxersfty they are sending out huge
black volumes OF smoke. In Europe
these smoke clouds are. used TO hide
troop movements and 70 pnnerTe TIE
enemy. The enemy never knows
vhat d back Of q smoke cloud II
sivrnvs causes nervous excitement,
Tor II Inevitably is followed by an
attaek from some unexpected point
There will be but one gas ana
dame rekiment for each American
army, The heilfre battalion" is the
nrnt. A. a result Of this policy the
ras and fame fighters get q greater
Farfety Of action than any other unit.
Fhere IL no long station at one place
fhey move about quickly from one
lront to another.
Gas attacks always come in the
HEAVIEST battles and the "henhre
boys' expect to be among those pres
mt at every big attack made BY the
American forces Il
volunteers are still being accepted
by the aheIldre battalion" No spe-
.ialIzed training 81 necessary. Al
ready a number of chemists and
,hsmical engineers have en- listed, but
De only prerequisite to enlistment lie
red blood and nerve" according 70
ne snappy little lieutenant who Is
EAking the new men In