Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-09
BEATS DAD IN RACE
TOSERVICE AT FRONT
laughter of General Nichol-
son, Meade Chief, at Head
of Y. M. G. A. Hut
ROOSEVELT GETS HA-HA
Army officers Amused at Colonel's
discovery" of the Wooden
Gun

CAMP MEADE, Admiral, Nd, Jan. Q.
General Nicholson. commander of the
r,berty Division, will go to France soon.
mt he won't have the honor Of being the
srst in his family to reach the firing line.
THAT honor has been robbed from
him. and by his daughter, Mrs. Helen
Nicholson Cream, wife of a captain In
the Royal Field Artillery of the British
army. who is serving as de-de-camp for
General Sanderlands in the Jerusalem
campaign.
Mrs. Cream, who possesses the same
1--we for army life as her father, is now
IN charge of a Y. NJ. G.. a. hut behind the
dring lines in France. Word that the
nlucky little woman had obtained an
sppointment to that position and is
actually in the service reached here to-
day.
That Little Penns commander is bit
proud of his daughters achievement is
uuting It mildly. He is elated. and every
man in the division shares his joy and
pride. General Nicholson is from
lighting family that for more than 100
years has been prominent In naval and
81
into the service marks the entrance of
every member of the Generals imme-
date family into war service.
RAPID ADvA';CE
Details concerning Mrs. Creams sue
cess are lacking. although it is known
that General Pershing, who has known
her from babyhood, is largely respon-
sible for her appointment In England
she mastered the details of motor
truck and became licensed driver. Then
she went to France. and was joined by
Mrs Il. II. Mccormick. of Chicago. and
Miss Bessie Swift, daughter of Louis
Swift, the Chicago packer.
Mrs Cream demonstrated her ability
to drive motortruck and keep the
hut supplied with merchandise. so re-
ceived the appointment Mrs. Nc
Cormick and Miss Swift are assisting
her.
Colonel Roosevelt's discovery of a
wooden gun which he says was used in
one of the American cantonmen.s, gave
Camp Meade officers a choice morsel of
fun today. That the Colonel has just
made the notable discovery" caused
much laughter, for wooden guns and
broomsticks such as the erstwhile
Progressive leader described have been
in use at Little Penn since the opening
Of camp.
Scores Of wooden guns We're used by
the selects upon their arrival and many
Of the so-called broomsticks are still
in use. "And The broomsticks will
continue to render service said one of
the officers today.
TEDDY GETS TIA-IlA
For preliminary purposes u wooden
gun is much better than a rifle, for the
latter is quite heavy and cumbersome
for a new man to handle and in pre-
llminary work a recruit. if provided with
an expensive gun, would ruin 1t.
In the bayonet practice the men are
using the blob stick. straight stick with
a wire ring fastened to one end This
is used by 4 soldier who is defending
himself against a bayonet attack and
Ia much more practical for such service
than a rife. One soldier is equipped
with a rifle and as he thrusts the
bayonet at his antagonist the blows are
warded off with the blob stick.
Prlctice of this character would to-
very expensive IL all the men used rifles,
because they would be badly damaged
Although the War Department was un-
able TO furnish real guns TO the sele. is
until quite recently, the absence of
weapons did not retard the training pro-
gram according to officers who discussed
the rifle shortage today. Following a
custom long in vogue. not only in the
army. but navy, the men We're given
wooden weapons.
Men in the navy never use steel
cutlasses when drilling, ior all practice
weapons of that character are made of
woCd" said one of the officers. "The
wooden guns at Camp Meade have been
placed in storage, for the men are so
we'll advanced that rifles have been is
sued to them
officers asserted that the improvised
weapons not only saved the Govern
ment considerable money. but IN lde drill
ing much easier fer the men.
ut is much easier" said an old army,
captain, 'for a man to carry light
wooden gun than heavy rifle
MORE DISCHARGES
More than twenty Philadelphians
were today discharged for physical de-
fects. They are: Leo w. Bridgeford
Local Beard o: Pasquale di Francesca.
Local Board 2; Samuel Sussman, 8 );
George L. Schaal, 6; Anson l.. Daino.
II Edward NJ. Bulger, Z; John j. Burke,
"a; Michael Christaldi, 81: George j.
Burget. 21; Patrick j. McIlwee, 0; Ed
ward Rowan, Clifford Il. Fisher, "a ;