davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01

upon the skill Of the men in the pioneer
regiment.
The advance Is made, for example, over
terrain carefully mapped by the topograph-
ers, copied by the craftsmen and referred
to the photographers, who have prepared
the copies of the maps which are distributed
to the staff and company officers.
Without the sapper regiment the advance
might be halted by a ravine, or by a river
over which formerly was bridge, des-
troyed by the enemy. There is no halt,
however, because Of q new bridge, flung
across by the engineers in an incredibly
brief time. 1t is a question whether the
more spectacular achievement in the bridge
building is afforded by the pontoon struc-
ture, which may be ready in seventeen min
utes to pass the division over a river 225
feet wide, or by the building of tied
bridge thirty feet long in half an hour from
the moment there was nothing but the raw
inc and the trees at hand; In that half hour
the trees have been felled and the bridge
prepared for the passage of the division
There is broken axle reported from one
OF the supply trucks. Time was when the
truck would be perforce abandoned beside
the road and the load added to the already
burdened capacity of another truck Again
the engineers to the rescue! This time the
oxy-a acetylene welder comes to the fore and
speedily sets the truck back on the road.
sound ss ever
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01

taking no heed of transient graduates the
mother regiment in Washington would re-
main the "fst Replacement Regiment OF
Engineers" and would continue to draw
promising privatcs to the special schools.
1t would be very pleasant to picture
poor, unskillcd laboring man, who had al
ways had secret hankering after training
in some trade, and who found his wish graf
fled by the opportunity offered at the bar
racks 1t may be that if rumored plan OF
the War Department is carried out the am
bilious untrained private may yet have his
wish fulfilled. As q matter Of fact, how
ever, the vocational schools have drawn
their candidates, with but few exceptions,
from men already possessing at least rudi-
mentary knowledge of the work at hand.
Qualified men in training camps, qualified
draftees and men especially inducted into
service found their talents put to immedi-
ate use. They were given cards to be filled
out. These cards listed the fourteen
schools, and first and second choices were
made by the candidate to indicate his pref
erence for instruction at one the other
school.
On the reverse Of the card the candidates
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01

ing does not suffer, as he stands rsvs,,,.
and retreat daily and has one hour of dy;,,
in addition. Should the demand pernt. -
the extension of the work from four week.
to six, the additional fortnight will roura
off his vocational work and prepare him
for favorable comparison with the gradusto
Of any nonmilitary stenographic school m
record.
Perhaps the astonishing results tb..
have been obtained at the barracks are dr.
TO the extraordinary corps of instructor.
When the schools were first organized II.
instructors for the second classes were ~.
best workmen in the first classes. VII.
were made non-coms and retained at il.
barracks to instruct the succeeding classes
II in the subsequent classes student o..
celled his instructor the instructor was son.
out with that class for active service and
the erstwhie student made instructor. p,
this process of survival the present in.
structors are proven the most competent NJ
the many who have passed through tbs
schools and should be nucleus for an
excellent vocational organization should
such be the future purpose of the War De-
partment
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01
X7hat an Expert Rigger
w Might Accomplish

The classes in rigging, by the way.
should brighten the knowing days" Of cur
civilian future. One expert rigger, if he
retains only the facility acquired in the
army, should be able to direct the trans
ference Of every piano in New York some
where to somewhere else between dewy
dawn and starry eve Of one day; 1t may
be he hoist safe to the twentieth
floor of an Office building 80 swiftly that
a crowd will have no time to gather; those
will be the halcyon hours, but New York
would never be quite the same
Once admitted to The schools the possi-
bilities Of intensive training are revealed.
1t is auth horitatively stated with consider
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01
Wilson S 'SaladDavs'

for that; but there was tremendous mo-
mentum in this young man that carried him
from a simple student, with a very small
haversack his back, his assets in his
Prince ION, to fight for the democracy Of op-
portunity; to the Governorship of New
Jersey, to force just government; to the
Presidency Of the United States, to hold
steadily above distracted world the scales
Of universal justice. AS the smallness Of his
students room mattered not at all, provided
he could think and write, so the bigness
of the White House. if he keep true to him
self, is merely a vantage ground from which
to do his work for humanity.
MY daguerreotype shows a tall young
man, whose cothes-one has to mention his
clothes were put on with SO obvious
desire to show due respect to the function
that he was attending, with so little thought
for a tailor's advertisement; but, though
his clothes were too big for him, he was i'm
measurably too big for his clothes. That
Georgia tailor proved so obviously that no
amount of disregard to the anatomy Of his
victim could matter in the very least. Mr.
Wilson was-he simply aUas. His kindly.
humorous, intellectual face, so young, but 80
fuli of power; his graciousness of manner.
SO full of consideration and with so little
Oh condescenslon, showed plainly the hall
marks of his ancestry, Southern, Scotch.
Irish, American-he looked item all; South
ern, by those dreadful clothes and gentle
manners; Scotch, by stiff integrity; Irish, by
his humor; and American, in being at once
full Of idealism and of practical common
sense.
"Our acquaintance warmed into friend
ship, strange to say, at one of those func-
tlons devised, believe, to show how cowed
can become the spirit of man. how brave
the spirit Of woman-a big evening recen-
ton. Women ordained them, men attend
them, because of some woman We had
been squeezed to the very wall of our host
esss party drawing-room and sank upon
some mercifully leftover seats. The centre
of the room had become an arena. whero
the odds were up as to whether the un
trained gentlemen walters could successfu,1v
balance plates of olio, broied oysters and
chicken croquettes, and carry them deftlv
over the heads of the company, finally de-
posting them, charged with their perilous
stuff. into the hands Of their chosen fair
ones We, from our cosey corner, watched
with keenest interest the heroes and hero
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01
gincering, pipe laying and highway engi.

gincering, pipe laying and highway eng.
neering
Fourteen schools were established at
Washington Barracks when Camp Hum
phreys was only a project on the army
maps. The fourteen schools at the bar
racks comprised, and still do comprise, al
though somewhat eclipsed by the magnitude
of that very young camp twenty miles
down the -lthography. carpentry,
Photography, surveying, welding, black
smithing, rigging, drafting, stenography,
gas engine maintenance and repair, plumb
ing masonry and electricity.
While each subject is taught wholly in
its military application, it is safe to say
that the intensive training given is going
to be of unreasonable value to the soldiers
who have gone through any one of the
schools. BY reason of the emergencies
which must be met Immediately by the
pioneer regiment in actual service the work
must be swift and thorough Because of
the stern occasions for accuracy, when one
mistake may entail disaster for the whole
division, the preparation for that work
must be beyond all standards for civilian
instruction. Therefore, the schooling is an
experience which will produce skilled
IaDOrers who can never Outgrow their mill
tary exactness, which possibly will intro
duce a wholly new factor into tho labor
situation
The future of the fourteen schools at the
barracks Is at this writing indeterminate.
Their past is an amazing record Of military
efficiency.
in addition to retaining some functions
as an engineer officers training camp, at
the beginning of the war, the barracks be-
came the training camp for the 1st Replace
ment Regiment of Engineers. This regi-
ment was trained for replacement only,
which meant that it never went overseas
as itself, serving to provide such skilled
privates needed from time to time
to replace casualties or to expand the
strength Of special details. In other words,
after sufficient number of men had COM
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01
Thoughts of the
n Future

Then, perhaps, some of them began to
think ahead into the future There was a
big job ahead of them in France. The lit
tie jobs that might await them quietly at
home after the war-or have been snatched
up by some incompetent substitute-faded
quite out of reckoning There would be
better jobs perhaps elsewhere; there would
be better pay-perhaps elsewhere; but pay
and Jobs alike cease to matter very great
deal when one is working hard all day.
sleeping hard all night, growing in strength
and ability, and quite willing to keep it all
up indefinitely and expecting to get to
France next week
Then came the dayl And heartfelt gratu-
ltous sympathy is hereby extended to avery
one who has never seen a regiment leave
camp for overseasl Especially a sapper
regiment!
Since the regiment was so shortly to be
split into fractions necessary to repair the
~g ments already in service, the organiza-
ton was prepared at the barracks for the
ultimate Reorganization -non-commissioned
officers were reduced to private status Not
non-com. worried about that little detail;
he was getting to France; that was suf-
nclent glory. Commissioned officers were
apportiored according to definite require
ments rather than to those which have been
so carefully studied by all of US in the many
little instructive works destined for civilian
purchasers. Every man was grinning, and
every mans back merrily bore the appalling
assortment of hardware and upholstery
which comprises "heavy marching order"
Then followed the most indecorous re-
treat rollcall in the regimental history. The
lack of decorum was a Gargantuan joke
One could picture the regiment, shapeless
happy giant, hugely enjoying the vast
humor in the hint that any one would be
absent. Not go TO France? Huh,
The rollcall ended, across the mellow sun
set light fickered haze Of dust. Ths
bugle notes of Retreat" sounded. punctu-
ated by the sunset gun Then the regiment
grave again, stood at attention while the
flag futtered slowly down and the band be,
yond the tents played THE Star-Spangled
Banner" There was moment of silence
then a command, echoed along the regiment
and the band swung into the cadenced prom
lse OF Over There" The regiment, bound
overseas, marched out across the parade
ground past the cheering and envious sap
pers who thronged the roadside, past gem
eral headquarters, where admiring guards
yelled encouraging admonitions, and out OF
the gates. embarking on their great venture
And viii they come back when they do,
ready to drop unquestioningly into the first
vacant niche, or ready to elbow efficient
substitutes out of their former jobs7 |. for
one. doubt II.
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01

ines of this to me, memorable evening
The company became merely pageant for
our delight. We wondered what it was all
about-whether the people had food at
home, that they should struggle and suffer
for it like that. We were both Of us young
then and wished to be very wiseI, gay, ar
rogant, undisciplined; he, very humble, for
he was already In harness, and his fresh,
creative mind bowed to wisdom He studied
his premises and weighed his conclusions.
But the trivial only held him as the lghtest
of surface comedies; he quickly cut through
them to the great problems of past present,
and future. The unesscntial held him
hardly at all; but, because of his humor,
his talk was never ponderous; and also
because Of certain vitalizing quality that
was his in a degree l have never known in
any other person. He was subjective only
inasmuch as he minded your blame and
cared for your praise; for the rest, he was
purely objective. The big problems of hu-
manity consumed him; they were so much
bigger than himself that he forgot himself
than Of him that he had vision, but that
he kept his feet on the ground; and that
makes the order of person who arrives and
carries others with him.
"Mr. Wilson was not an individualst 1t
was not for the love Of one child, but for
the love of all children, that their problems
concerned him. Not the problem of one
favored and dear youth, but the problems
of all youth, fired him. not the development
Of the South alone, but the development of
his entire country, absorbed him. He saw
things in large proportions, and his con-
structive imagination was not that Of the
adventurer or even the explorer; it was that
OF the pioneer. with the pioneers dauntless
courage-but caution. Beyond the felled
forest and cut paths and dangers overcome
ne saw peaceful homes, and thrifty farms
and simple, unsophsticated schools, and
spires of little churches.
II
the ardent desire to show to his country
what he read in the motives and accom-
plishments and defeats of the Civil War.
Southern by birth and breeding, he was
never rovincial-there was no muddling of
mind and heart. He loved hisecountry from
east to west, from north to south, and looked
out with clear eyes to the universal prob
lens of the United States. A democratic
university was his ideal. He felt that
knowledge led to wisdom, and wisdom to
righteousness; and that was a road which
all who would should be aule to take without
handicap; and so, with a carelessness Of
self-interest that was simply amazing. he
struck mighty blows, that there should be
no sign Private Property marked over
this great highway. Only apparently was
he defeated, for his strokes are still echoine
and every college in the land has stopped
and listened"
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01
<<HNHE ENGLISH REVIEW"
q prints a description of the
President when he was stu
dent written hu Edith c.

OSlSs A4CCOl1 w 1IOlLu VI.
Reid, who knew him in those early days.
1t is little sentimental, the description
but it serves to illuminate between the
riffs in the fog Of memory something of
the character Of the young man who
later became Chief Executive of the
United States.
cat one of our relaxed moments this
autumn I was sitting with three or four
old friends in my long drawing room 1t
was late in the afternoon--the tea hour.
when the heavy curtains had been drawn.
the fire lighted, and, though Hoover's card
stuck in the window there was enough
food for comfort with consistency. Our
thoughts and voices had dropped to the
point of fatigue when some one re-
marked that Sargent was painting p, trait
Of Mr.. Wilson My memory went down the
long years, meeting him gently, with glow
Of the heart here and there, hearing his
voice, remembering his vivid thoughts, un-
til came to the moment when I first con.
sciously saw him. 1t was like taking up an
old daguerreotype, and wondered how
Sargent's late portrait would compare with
my early mental picture Long I stayed
with my friend that afternoon-long after
the others had gone and my fire had smould-
cred. Would Mr.. Sargent have the realizing
iYpp pcrin nufi 70 hor 20 Icc-
and follow the thread of his life until it
brought him up to the man of to-day? Ger
tainly, II Mr.. Sargent catches the spirit OF
his subject, the portrait will but emphasize
the dominant note that was struck in his
youth; for there has been singular con-
tinuity in the life of our President. In the
ideals and purposes of his life there has
been no variabeness, neither shadow of
turning. The tall young fellow, who carried
his body with certain difident courtesy,
never physically treading on your toes, was
free mentally-there he led. | recall him
as he came up, graduate student to the
Johns Hopkins University, doubtless poorly
eau'PPeo Win lHls Worlos goods, but too
wholesome for that to matter.
Nothing and nobody in those early davs
could hold MIR. Wilson long from his life's
quest His spiritual and mental impulses
were, in sense, inspra tions, and would
sweep on past and over minor matters. He
had not that quality so lauded by Americans
Athe quality of push-he was too scholarly
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01
Technical Training
Il for the Soldier

Since the development Of technical train
ing throughout the army has been 80 rapid
during the last year, and especially during
the last six months. the results obtained
unbelievable, and were only made pos
sible by intensive work, from which every
thing not bearing directly upon military
efficiency had been eliminated.
Perhaps the most apt example Of what
was done is given by the trade schools at
Washington Barracks What has been done
there on a small scale is illustrative of the
widespread work being at present accom-
plished by various vocational training units
of the Students Army Training Corps
throughout the country, from which ulti-
mately there may be returned to civilian
life a wealth of skilled laborers in every
calling.
The s. A. T. c., however, although i'm
pressively large, is younger than the voca-
tional units at the training camps, and far,
far younger than the barracks, and at pres
ent there Is careful distinction to be
drawn between the S. A. T. c., which is ad
ministered by the committee on education
and special training of the War Department,
and the vocational schools of the canton
ments, which under the jurisdiction Of
the engineer corps of the army.
At the time of our declaration Of war
against Germany Washington Barracks was
mainly devoted to instructing the embryo
sapper fresh from West Point, in the spe-
cial training of his chosen branch of the
service. Although there were other minor
activities at the post, it was primarily the
Engineer Officers Training School, post
graduate addendum to West Point.
With the outbreak of the war it became
Immediately necessary to provide training
for privates as we'll as for officers, and
Washington Barracks became the first logi-
cal school for that training. Subsequently
it has been almost obscured by the aggrega-
tion of schools for vocational training of
soldiers under the War Department.
but it remains the most interesting and rep
resentative Of the work which Immediately
devolved upon the pioneer regiments.
For every division to go overseas pio-
regiment of sappers, prepared for any
emergency, was assigned to undertake the
gerry various incidental work of maintenance
and repair. When one considers that in the
entire regular army as 1t was in March, 1917.
there were but three pioneer regiments,
numbering-with the inclusion Of an engi-
detachment at West Point, one
mounted company and one band-in all,
4,125 officers and enlisted men--some idea
Of the expansion necessary to the present
resultant may be hinted
When one takes into consideration, mere
over the thousand and-one duties of each
pioneer regiment for which the private Is
prepared, the wonder grows yet more.
New-York tribune., 1918-12-01
A Zion i'm Missouri

and his companions went by boat to St.
Louis, but had to walk the three hundred
miles across Missouri to Independence
Smith was enraptured with what he found.
In truth, it is one of the fairest regions in
America Splendid hills overlook valleys
Of great fertility; and the Missouri River,
winding its tortuous way to the Mississippi
adds the scenic touch that delights the ar
tistc eye. The Lord quite agreed with
Smiths choice. In few days the prophet
announced that he mad received q divine
revelation that here was the New Jeru-
salem, the future city of Christ, where the
Lord was to rule over the Saints as a tenn
poral king in "power and great glory" The
voice of the Lord, speaking through Joseph
Smith, proclaimed:
This is the land of promise and the
place for the City of Zion. And thus saith
the Lord your God, if you Will receive wis
dom, behold the place which is now called
independence is the centre place, and a
spot for the temple is lying westward, upon
lot which is not far from the Court
House, wherefore it is wisdom that the
land should be purchased by the Saints
Accordingly the land was purchased, and
the temple site was solemnly marked and
dedicated. To this day it has remained in
the possession of the Mormons and mas
never been built upon. 1t was further re-
vealed that Independence, or Zion. as the
Mormons called it, was to be a city sur
passing in splendor anything known in an
cient modern times Buildings of
cleaning walls should line streets of pure
gold. 1t was in every way to be q CITY
worthy of the seat of the temporal power
of Christ when He should come to rule as
King over His Saints, all the rest of the
world having been destroyed The lost
tribes Of Israel, Smith revealed, were en-
clrcled by great walls of ice at the North
Poie, but these walls would melt and the
lost tribes would hasten to Zion. bearino
great loads of gold and silver. 1t was also
revealed to Smith that this was the site of
the Garden of Eden, and he pointed ont the
pile OF stones which, he told his followers
was the banished Adams altar
But the people of the Missouri commu-
nifty did not like their new neigbbors
Troubles multiplied, and finally a mob
drove the Mormons away. killing manv OF
them ana destroying their property. Smith
yielded to force of arms, but he called on
ms followers not to sell their property in
independence. 1t was the true Zion. he
sald the site of the temple, and the Nor
mons would surely return
From Missouri the Mormons went to
Nauvoo, III. There the revelation permit.
ting polygamy was given. Smith and his
brother Hyrum were arrested, and were
taken from jail by mob and shot. Brig
ham YOUNG S,1rreadeS 70 fho
Church and led the Saints across plains and
mountains to Salt Lake, where they built
city in the desert and prospered amazingly.
The great temple there is marvel of ar
chitecture, but it was built by hands That
vacant lot at Independence still awaits the
Lords masterpiece.