Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-21
Especial to The August

Camp Dodge, Iowa, Feb. 21.-Here
are cheering words for anxious moth
ers and relatives of national army
men now training as part of the
forces which will help Uncle Sam
make the world safe for democracy.
Major General E. H. Plummer, COM
handing the Eighty-eighth National
army division at Camp Dodge, made a
little inquiry on his own initiative
while visiting the western front in
Europe.
At the outset OF the war It was esti-
mated 1t required ton of lead to
kill one man." Now General Plum
mer says, it is estimated 1t takes 20
tons.
To substantiate the statement the
commander inquired Of French bat
terry commander in an active sector
Of the line: How many shells have
you fired at the enemy?"
twenty-five thousand, sir" the Of.
'ncer replied.
How many have fired at your bat
tery?" General Plummer asked.
Nineteen thousand, sir?" was the
answer.
What have your casualties been?"
continued the general.
"One." the officer said.
How many Germans had been killed
by the shells from the French battery
was not known, but Of $4,000 dropping
in the vicinity of the battery, the re-
suit had been the death of but one
artilleryman.
Soldiers at Camp Dodge are having
great chance to display their gal
lanlry these days.
Many dainty little ladies who go
out to visit friends and relatives
pause, appalled,. before the seas Of
mud and water at every crossing.
Dainty kid boots don't seem quite in
place there.
Sometimes the men take pity on
these fair visitors and help them
across. Sometimes they stand and
| laugh.
! One soldier was going across the
muddy road, when girl called out,
please, you go ahead and make big
| footsteps, so we can follow in them. -
! He didn't look especially pleased
at the compliment, but then, as he
remarked, army shoes are generally
| issued size or so too big.
Anyway, the young ladies crossed
very nicely.
You wouldn't ever dream of dig
nifed army officer jumping rope,
would you?
Military life teaches men how tc
play as we'll as how to work, and
especially out on the range, in their
leisure moments, they take up some
athletic sport.
Once, there was rope handy, and a
captain who is a grave lawyer in civil
life, picked it up and skipped about
! in a way that would make school,
girl envious.
Others play tag, or fox and geese,
or make snowballs.
When the regiments go out on the
range for the day they make a regular
picnic of it, The cooks go along and
, build campfires, over which they cook
delicious, smoky food.
Then at noon the men stand around
and try to eat sandwiches and discuss
military tactics at the same time.
But they don't put on long faces and
talk in funeral tones. We're just
like bunch of school kids on a holi-
day." one Of them expressed it.
Mellow lights-dreamy music
beautifully dressed women and off,
GERS sitting about slipping tea
No, it. isn't an exclusive tearoom,
but the Hostess house at the canton
ment.
There is an air of rest and charm
about the place which makes it popu-
lar with everyone.
Not only Major Hightone, but little
Private Smith may meet his friends
there.
Mother and the girls and little
brother can come out and spend the
day.
Splendid meals are served, there
are books, magazines, piano and \
victrola. What more could one want :?
The Hostess house is a popular
place.
Twelve acres are covered by the re-
mount station at the Camp Dodge can
Torment, where 10000 horses and
mules could be handled at one time,
if it were necessary. Gathered from
the principal horse marts of the coun-
try, horses and mules arrive almost
daily at the remount station to be
broken" and trained for war work.
Twelve thousand horses and mules
represents the ordinary capacity Of
the remount station here, but the av-