Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-06-21

of the three-inch gun batteries. The
problem Of motorization of field artil-
'lery is q difficult one, which explains
why it has not been carried out to
greater extent than has been the case
with the armies that have been fight
ing in Europe for the last three years.
The possible output of tractors for
the transport Of field artillery in the
United States is practically unlimited.
whereas the supply Of horses Is ut
present limited and is becoming more
50 each month.
Relatives of soldiers named in cas-
ualty lists forwarded from France or
dinarily are notified within "a hours
after receipt Of the lists, according to
q statement authorized by the war de-
partment. A statistical division"
with staff Of officers and corps OF
stenographers, gives all its time to
the maintenance Of files Of soldiers
names and addresses. This division
notifies relativeA
A copy Of the roster Of each c0ntin.
gent sailing to Join the expeditionary
forces Is fled In card index fashion,
each card bearing the name Of one SOL
der, his organization, and the name
and address Of parent or other relative
or friend designated by him to be mott
fed in emergency. When casualty
list is received from General Pershing
each name cabled from the American
expeditionary force Is listed with the
emergency addSs1s on 1le IN the card
index. Al rapidly a. the new list with
emergency addresses 10 built up the
telegraph, clerks get duplicates. These
clerks already are supplied with blank
kilograms which require only the rela-
tive's address, name OF sender. nature
Of casualty and the date, and filling in
the blank spaces they get the tele-
grams of rs quickly rs possible. In
addition to maintaining the telegraph
blanks for the sake of speed the statis-
teal division is supplied with sets of
form letters to be filed In and mailed
when further details are available.
While relatives are generally in re-
ceipt Of information within "a hours
after the cables are received. delays
are sometimes due to clerical errors
caused by the fact that names must
pass through SO many hands in France
and in America, incorrect emergency
addresses turned in by soldiers. re-
moval of families to addresses other
than those listed, and the occasional
necessity for cabling back to General
Pershing to verify a name OF to obtain
an address.
Aside from these four causes Of de-
lay the only reason for the failure Of
relatives to receive word at once is
military consideration. General PERISH
ing may, at his discretion, withhold a
casualty list until he Is positive
it will have no military value to the
enemy.
Through the operation Of repair
shops for clothing and other articles,
q considerable saving in reissue Of new
equipment has been made at army
camps. One camp Quartermaster esti-
mates the issue Of new clothing has
decreased one-third. and of shoes 40
per cent. -
At base repair shop for clothing
an average Of 1881 garments were re-
paired daily during the first 10 days Of
May. In addition to the work done at
base repair shops. many thousands Of
garments are repaired at camp shops,
one shop being located at each large
camp. E q
During April nearly 10000 pairs Of
shoes were repaired In army repair
shops. At present practically all hat
repairing is done by contract, the
price varying from so to 80 cents per
hat.
This work is in charge Of the conser-
walton and reclamation division Of the
quartermaster corps, which has been
in operation only during the last four
months. E,a
The food administration Is making q
careful survey of the national ice stu
alton in order that it may be prepared
to meet any sudden shortages in par
ticular communities. The destruction
of ice plants by fire, breakdown of ma
chinery, or the exigency Of the weather
may at any time cause q serious short
age.
Incomplete returns from Is states
show that nearly 8, 100000 women have
registered for war work under the
Woman's committee of the council Of
684nsl defense.