The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-09-05
Camp Lee Without a Peer;
$4,000 Soldiers Now There

vice in the United States. and this may
consist of anything from doing military
police duty to setting up as a tailor and
mcndi.g uniforms i'll camp.
In Camp for War.
Tho mon selcctcd for domestic service
NAV remain in camp for the duration OK
the war, serving their country In TINS
limited manner. or they may DC sent
overseas later for certain lines or work.
kor every company of $50 mem who so
overseas to fight there are certain
number Of supernumcrnr!' soldiers that
accom- pany them
These men nrc really artisans IN
khaki They have talorS and barOcrs
and motor messengers and mechanicians
and cooks and bakers and several other
trades and crafts. all Of which are ,es-
sential to the upkccp Of an Infantry
company at it's war strength Of $50
men. So. II these men selected for SER
vice in the United States happen to be
artisans within these selected classes.
they arc sent overseas Tor this Limited
form of military employment. Ihose
who do not fail in these classes simply
20 along as homo guard in the camp
until peace Is declared.
Some of these men here have been
stationed at. Lee since the first draft
md they will continue here, usually IN
the military police, or as clerks at the
various bureaus and Offices until the
Kaiser is licked and sanity restored In
tho world.
Utilities Branch
. However there are several other fea-
lures at Camp Lee that set the canton
ment apart from It's fellows in the East.
One Of hese is known as the utilities
branch" constituent bureau in the
auarlcrmasters department. 1t ls
wonderful thing, virtually every indus
try under the sun merged into the single
title Of utilities branch.
Tinsmiths, stovcmnkers, electricians
plumbers. gasfitterS glassbloweEs. etc.
etc--you can hardly name an art or
craft that isn't includcd--nrnkc this unit
one OF tho oldest and at once the most
valuable in the camp. They do all man
ner Of repairing and original work.
Anything that goes wrong with the
camp machinery Is repaired by this
branch IF the electric lights won't be-
have. q squad of electricians 30 out and
find tho trouble then correct il.
The strength OF this utilities branch
Is several thousands. and when they 10
to Franco they move in n body. They
arc SuDftl 10 IL GILL lTONl 1GtlCIal
shiny. and when he sends for ten Tin
gastitterS- or any number Of any trade
tho word comes to Leo and Lee ships
away the requisite number Of artisans.
Tho ordnance depot here, too. is one
of the features Of the camp. The men
study tho ordnance work with dummy
guns cannon Of wood. mounted outside
of the ordnance depot and Respondent in
paint Of battlcship gray. The use OF
these wooden guns instead Of actual or
mamcnt is TO prevent recruits from
spelling field pieces that arc available
at the present time.
Making Gun ExpertD.
Tho wooden cannon are in every way
replica Of the metal guns cXcept in ma
tcrial. Glasses daily study the various
ammunition 10 be used. the effect of
various shells on various type of guns;
In fact. they go through an intensive
training that makes the students experts
in the use of EuE9 and shells.
Not whit behind the ordnance depot
Is the trade test branch. This inStitu-
! ton is TO determine the Stacker from the
artisan. Fur many chap comes out Of
clvililn life who Is no coward. but who
grows 10 hate military life. He is not
Stacker. but he is unable to adjust or
adap, himself To changed conditions.
Then lie hunts un an excuse oftcntimcs
to get out Of the military branch and
into Il trade section where the situation
stands more C0nEcnial.
He is permitted sometimes to ask for
4 transfer from the training battalion
J. 10 the utilities branch. Then comes the
radc test section into play. This sec
! lion is fitted up with all the mechanical
devices that industrial workers use to
ply their trade in civilian life. The men
in Charge ARE skilled workmen them
selves and they know n fakcr from the
real thing instantly.
Taxing Is Bad Business.
So when Private Joe Doe asks
transfer In go into the utilities as
plumber he is sent nrcr 10 the trade
test The chap who handle: the plumb
crs there gives him certain specified
piece Of work Ia do. and then watches
]. y. on the job. Naturally. trained
eye can pick out r. fnur-flushrr II once.
and there is M record that any takcr
has got by. II tho man is really 4
plumber he is granted Il transfer. II
not, ne is given Il fine lecture in which
robust English is plcntifully sprinklcd.
Usually the rnAllnEercT who fails goes
bnck to his barracks and spreads tho
tidinES that il is no use trying TO fake
that the men in the trade test arr on the
Job. and. unless man knows, he better
stay infantrring.
There are many other dcpartmcnis
connected with thu camp. all OF which
show that war making is L great. u vast
business, To be conducted on lines OF
business administration in which the
military cnntonmcnt cXcclS usually.