The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-02
A NEICHBOR CAMP
Arch FARRELL Compares Funston
and Doniphan Camps.
An Interesting Letter From
Kansan in Service.
HOW THEY DO THINGS IN TEXAS
Men There Are Housed in
Good Warm Tents.
Manner of Their Drill and
Work and Play.
HOW THEY. DO THINGS IN TEXAS
BY A. W. FARRELL.

Camp Doniphan, Fort Sill, Okla,
Feb. 2e, 191s.-The readers of Trench
and Camp may be interested in know
ing Gomething of the happenings of
Funston's neighbors. the national
guardsmen at Camp Doniphan. While
the two camps have much similarity,
there are several points in which they
are very different
This camp is situated south and
west OF Fort Sill, and about five miles
from the city of Lawton- The camp
forms huge horseshoe about six
miles around. The two infantry brig
AIDES are located on the north and
west sides of the horseshoe, and the
engineers, supply train, sanitary train
and the artillery brigade are on the
south side. Other units are scattered
turnout the camp.
Unlike the Funston cantonment, the
men here are housed in tents, walled
up halfway and floored. While they
are not so warm in extremely cold
weather as barracks they are on the
whole very comfortable and sanitary.
Only five men are allowed in a tent
The Thirty fifth division is com
manded by Maj. Gen, William M. 1
Wright. The instruction carried out
is similar to that carried out at Camp
Funston The infantry has been hav-
ing close order drill, extended order
drill, bayonet drill, grenade drill, and
other work preparatory to service
overseas. The Sixtieth Field artillery
brigade, under command of Brigadier
General Berry. has had as systematic
instruction as is possible with the ma
teria1' at hand. Most of the material
will undoubtedly be received after ar
rival IT France.
The morale of the troops here is
excellent, The guardsmen who came
down here from home four months
ago unused to army discipline, aceus-
toned to lives of comparative ease,
have changed greatly. Men come to
attention with click" obey orders
promptly and cheerfully, and the
slouchifless of dress which is notice.
able in all raw troops is fast disap-
pearing.
situated near division headquarters
Originally there were 44o men at TINS
camp, but that number Is being cut
down and competition is keen for the
commissions which Will be handeu out
at this camp.
The men are receiving gas instruc-
ton weekly, consisting of drill in put
ting on and taking off the gas masks,
drilling with masks on and spending
a few minutes each time in a room
laden with poisonous gases. Strange
as 1t may seem, the gas masks are
not very popular with the men, and
an observer might see many ludicrous
sights when they put the masks on
for the first time.
The sports of the division are In
charge of Mr.. Harry Lansing, ex-Mis-
souri, university football star. He or
ganized football team last fall,
which, after a poor start in the game
with Funston, beat University of
Oklahoma, always strong team The
captain of the team is Lieut., Pete"
and Saturday afternoon is devoted to
sports and everybody in the division
has to take part. The baseball sea-
son has begun here and there is prom
Use of getting up a first class team in
the division.
The division commander is insistent
that all officers and enlisted men of
the division dress uniformly. The
regulation uniform for enlisted men is
o. D. wool uniform, hat and chin
strap for warm weather and service
cap for bad days, canvas leggins, field
shoes for dress. All men going to
Lawton must wear an overcoat or
trench coat, Every man must shave
every day and bathe at least twice a
week. and a military haircut is re-
quired every two weeks.
The government school of fire is To-
Gated at Fort Sill. and officers from
all over the country are here for that
school. Here they are taught all the
latest dope" on artillery firing on the
western front, under the tutelage of
French, English and Scotch officers
and non-coTns and with French guns
imported specially for this purpose.
The aviation camp here is also inter-
esting. No matter how Indictment the
weather, the airmen are up every day,
working out tactical problems and
mastering the art of aircraft. 1t is no
uncommon sight to see eight or nine
aeroplanes in the air at the same
time.
The principal characteristic of the
country about Fort Sill and Camp
Doniphan is the wind. The only time
the wind doesn't blow is-next year
It blows from the north until ali the
dust is gone from the camp. and then
switches back and blows it back from
the south. But the men of the Thirty
fifth division are getting used to 1t,
and scarcely notice it any more
The principal recreation these days
is the spreading of rumors about the
divisions embarkation for France or
China, or St. Louis, or some other
place In the last three weeks the
Thirty-fifth division has gone straight
to the western front, has been sent to
the land of the hula hula. has guarded
bridges along the Mississippi, has gone
to Poland. Italy. Ireland. the Philip