Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-12-20
man NOT MERE PAWN IN BIG
WORK OF MOULDING AN ARMY
HEADQUARTERS LEARNS The SOLDIERS DESIRE AND
ATTEMPTS TO PLACE HIM WHERE SATISFACTION
WITH LIFE WILL QUICKEN LABOR
4 MANS 4 MAN" WORTHY AXIOM OF PERSONNEL WORKERS
BACHELOR SOLDIER WILL TAKE GREATER FATE
IN GRIM GAME WAR THAN MARRIED COMRADE,
SAYS LIEUT. IN INSTRUCTIVE ARTICLE

may be assumed with every confidence
that he will fill the position wherein
he is placed.
Placing a man where he prefers and
asks to be assigned, providing his quail
ifications fit him for the place, is prac-
tically the first axiom in personnel
work. 1t is one that has been followed
out in the organization of the 18th d.
vision from the very first, because 1t
has been realized that full. cheerful
service cannot be obtained from a man
who believes that he could do much
better in some other organization or
in some other position.
No doubt there are numbers Of men
in the division who believe they should
have been assigned to some other unit
than that in which they are now locat-
ed. For instance, many men ask to be
assigned to machine gun units who are
now in other organizations. Perhaps
it will salve their feelings IL 1t IL ex-
planned here that very few soldiers
were assigned to the machine gun bat
talions of this division who are under
certain height and weight or who
are married. The reasons? Simple.
Only real "huskies" who combine high
Intelligence grades with their muscu-
lar strength could perform the ardu-
Gus and trying duties Of machine gun
ners in action. The machine gun units
have been called suicide clubs" so,
because an unmarried man will gener-
ally take longer chances than his mar
ried brother, and give less thought to
family ties in the pinches. the bachelor
soldier was decided upon as making the
best material for machine gunner.
The same care in assigning men was
followed in the organization Of other
units Of the division, particularly those
whose tables Of organization called foi
large numbers of highly skilled spe-
cialists. Among these organizations
are the 213th field signal battalion, the
| 18th ammunition train and the sanitary
train. They were practically completed
as to personnel and ready for overseas
service when the armistice was signed.
i Wherever It has been impossible to
! find enough men Of certain vocation to
| fill all the places called for In the
tables of organization, schools have
been established to make good the de-
| ficiency. Horseshoers, saddlers and
shoemakers have been trained in this
way.
/ July II, 1918, was the Official" birth
day Of the 18th division. On that day
Colonel E. N. Jones, Of the 44th In
fantry, assumed command and the Isl
! and 44th regiments were designated as
part Of the division and from their
ranks enough men were ordered trans-
ferred to form the nuclei of the 18th
and 10th regiments. The initial work
OF organization. was directed largely
by Major (then captain) Arthur Lakes.
Jr., who was camp personnel adjutant
at that time.
Captain Edward F. Dalton. the divi-
sion personnel adjutant, arrived early
in August and he found a warm well
come in the shape Of the transfer OF
A 5000 men from the depot brigade and
their assignment to the division. These
men. mostly. went to the field artillery
brigade.
Another large transfer of men from
the depot brigade was effected early
in September, but several thousand
came at various times in smaller
the depot camps of the several stan
corps. At the time the armistice was
signed everything was in readiness to
receive the final draft to fill up the d.
vision, but that draft call having been
cancelled, the organization stills lacks
several thousand of its complete per-
sonnet.
The personnel adjutant and his as
sissants have had the most hearty CO.
operation and encouragement of the
commanding general. the chief of stan,
the adjutant and the commanders OF the
various organizations. But. for that
matter, It was only 1Atural that the
system installed in the army by the
Committee on Classification of Person
nell headed by DR.. Walter Dill Scott,
the noted psychologist, should win ap-
prevail. 1t has added greatly to the
efficiency OF the army in the war and
: Secretary of War Baker gave warm
praise to it in his speech to the Per-
sonnet School at Camp Meigs, Wash
ington. d. c., in August
Under Captain Dalton's direction the
personnel work of the division has
been carefully carried out The JOB
hasn't been an easy one. Neither the
officers or the enlisted men of the per-
sonnet adjutant's office have hesitated
to work long into the night hours at
times when the work demanded It,
The insurance department has been
able directed by First Lieutenant Fred
erick E. Davenport, A. G. d.. who. be-
fore his assignment to this division,
was a member Of the 27th New York;
division at Camp Wadsworth. He had
much insurance experience in civil life
In New York City.
The work Of the enlisted men in the
personnel department deserves fullest
praise. Regimental Sergeant Major
william L. Merithew has handled the
mass Of detail that developed upon him
efficiently. Battalion Sergeant Major
Sam e. TyreIl, until discharged recent
ly, assisted Lieutenant Davenport In
the insurance work. Sergeant Clay
pool on officers qualification cards,
Sergeant Blomquist on assignment
charts, Privates Sturm and Milbauer
IN xoldferS' qualification cards, Private