Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1918-01-29

WIN mtdlleSSt pOldlOleSS, CuOCOldle-
less ,candying days. The usual army
breakfast consists of bacon, potatoes,
gravy, bread and coffee. The feature
of the other meals frequently is stew
which Is good when you're hungry
beans, etc, and there is usually a
dessert. And take coal and wood. for
instance. There always is a fire in
American barracks and huts. At my
last station they were laying in the
winter supply for a base hospital
There was a pile as big as a Euro
Pean mountain and the peasants used
to come from neighbOring villages
just to look at it. To the French,
coal is issued, like bread, by card,
and they tell me it takes trouble,
time and pull to get ton a month
for a family. But the Fronchman is
the true philosopher. He never wOr-
ries. He blows on his hands. swings
his arms, remarks I'VE shall be cold
this winter" and dismisses the sub
ject as an inevitable proposition and
therefore no fit subject for thought
or cOmmiseration.
My present station and It's environs
seem to be the center Of a district
devoted entirely to the dissemination
of knowledge to Americans. In the
nearby town there are more captains.
majors, lieutenant colonels and
colonels than have ever seen be-
fore. They, too, are going to school
learning war as it is now fought.
Every officer, apparently. no matter
what his rank. has got a lot to learn
/ before he starts here and has got to
go to school They have French in
structors, as does this school-mcn
fresh from the trenches. with all the
latest wringles. don't know
whether they grab bayonets and
make a bowling dive over thr theo.
rctical top, but am informed that
is what We are going to do. Right
now the school is dcvOting a lot OF
time to digging the aforesaid trenches
The trench plan OF a famous BATH,
is being reproduced, | am told.
was little skcpIical about com
ing up here with my modest store o
. military knowledge, but my captain
5 said he thought ! would make good
p and here l am. The United State
t needs all the talent il can get, h
. said and declared that the roof wa
l going to be the limit on the possibil
, ties Of advancement for men wit
n the right stuff / never was yer
+ ambitious. personally, and hadn'
2 thought much about cOmmissio
+ personally Anyhow, as an humbl
t private such a possibility seemed a
' remote as Berlin. And yet here | al
S with a fighting chance for one.
t. sure is relutation for the intimatio
e of hopclcssncss frequently eXpresse
g that man in the ranks hasn't
c chance.
Had to adjourn here to stand il
k spcction of field equipment and a
e tend a brief lecture by the major j
9 charge of the school. II Is dark nov
+; The major announced that disciplin
l. would be as strict here as possible
/ that there would be required tw
It hours Of study each evening, thu
l. commissions were going TO be granite
k over here only to the graduates
.C such schools as these except to mc
Is who displayed conspicuous bravery
II battle Also. he said, this was Il
1t pick of the army and undoubted
,s the finest bunch of men in Franc
IN Whcrcupon I was duly gratifcd.
le met Andy Berg, who used to wo
20 with mo in San Francisco, a cour
IS, OF days ago. lie left the coast
IT, fore I did, visited his home and {
III Listed in Massachusetts. He is vi
,s, what is called a typographical ,
lit gincrring company, which is going
We set up a printing plant, from linoty
lt machines to presses, for the print
nd OF maps, orders, etc. Some stunt,
| was kind Of sorry to leave
Id. old bunch, The last one of the bur
MS saw before leaving was Frank {
Of vim. son Of the president Of the Tn
OF Pacific. lie is rated as q wagoI
in and is acting as chauffeur for Ma
Williams. who used 10 be Il constr
Al. ton engineer on his pas railro
ICY His corporal used to be a section b
Is on the same line.
he The distinction. by tho way, Of b.
his the FIRST drafted regiment across &
,er. to a group of gentlemen OF dark c
ere plcNion from south flhc Mason
can Dixon line. They are logged out
on the old army blues, with oapcs OF /
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