Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-02-01
BIG ARMY NEEDED
FOR AIR SERVICE
~
FORTY TO FIFTY MEN REQUIRED
FOR EACH ACTIVE FLAME AT
THE FIGHTING FRONT.
FIGURES BY HOWARD COFFIN
Veterinary Corps and Remount serv-
Ice Growing Rapidly-Informatio
About the Pay Received by Uncle
Sans Enlisted Men.

tFsom Committee on Public Information }
Washington.--In statement issued
by Howard Il. Coffin, chairman of the
aircraft production board. is the fol.
lowing:
I'm discussing the accomplishments
of the air service Ia the consummation
of the army program, 1t will be well to
point out the impossibility of certain
Proposals enthusiastically and persist
entity put forward by word of mouth
md In the press. We have seen and
heard much of the proposed 100000
1irplanes to be provided by the United
4tates within the next year. In coun-
ny where one great industry produces
81 100000 motorcars per year, the fab
rication Of 100000 planes might seem
easy, but actual figures based upon
three years of practical experience In
the war shows that there are now be-
tween 40 and 80 men of the auxiliary
nervices required for each active ma
chine at the front. II this same ratio
should be adhered to in our service, It
would mean that some 100000 men
woul6 be required in our aeronautical
department on foreign soil between
our ports OF debarkation and the fight
ing front.
Even though this number Of men
could be reduced by so per cent by In
creased efficiency and Standardization,
tke number required is still. staggcr-
NE. Consider, also, the overseas
transportation problem as related to
material only and without reference
to personnel and its maintenance. The
transportation of finished planes, prop
erly Grated, with the necessary spares,
accessories, and equipment is in itself
q serious problem. in view of the stu
ation in ship tonnage"
When war was declared the strength
Of the United States army In animals
was 66,145; it is now 344,000. The
remount service April consisted of
one officer and four clerks In Washing
fon, five remount depots where horses
we're received, and personnel and
purchasing organization in the field in
proportion. The veterinary corps, re-
sponsible for the treatment of animals
consisted of GA officers and no enlisted
Personnel when the United States en-
tered the war.
The veterinary corps faced the job
OF building an organization Of about
4 1000 officers and $4,000 men. The
1000 officers have been secured and
enlisted men are being transferred at
n rate which will soon bring it up to
Its full authorized strength.
The remount service had similar
task in securing personnel. Its pres.
ent strength is about 300 officers and
A 900 enlisted men. In place Of {
remount depots 1t has "a. for which
plans had to be drawn, sites chosen
and construction of shelter hospitals
Storage buildings, and unloading IA
cilities in short time.
8 The greater proportion of deaths OF
animals In the army results from infiu
enza, pcpularly known as shipping
fever," and Its complications. British
losses on horses purchased in the
United States during the war have
been about 10 per cent. counting only
deaths occurring In this country
french and Italian losses have been
hgher.
# The rank of commissioned officers OF
Che United States army is shown by
Insignia on the shoulder loops.
The shoulder loops of general bear
he coat of arms Of the United State.
nd two silver stars; lieutenant gen
fal, one large and two small silver
fars; major general, two silver stars
rigadier general. one silver star
Solonel. silver spread-eagle; lieutenant
eolOnei, silver leaf; major, gold leaf
captain, two silver bars; first lieuten
Eant, one silver bar; second lieutenant
Igold bar.
The shoulder loop Of a chaplain
Ibears Latin cross.
A recent comparison of health re
lposts from troops in the United State.
and the expeditionary forces shows the
admission rnte to hospitals to be great
Ter among the men in France.
Admissions to hospitals in one weel
bn the expeditionary forces, figured or
basis of 1000 men. were 45.2; In the
United States the rate was 1877 pei
900 men. In the overseas forces tn,
noneffective rate (the total number Of
men excused from duty for any injury
pr ailment, whether or not ordered t.
hospital) was 54.1 per 1000 men; II
hs troops In the United States It wal
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