Evening star., 1918-01-09
MEADE HAS RIFLE
FOR EVERY SOLDIER
Camp Has Never Been Delay
ed by Use of Wooden
Gun.
WEDNESDAY VISITING OFF

| CAMP MEADE, Admiral, Md, jan
]uary 9.-Recent charges that selected
/ soldiers in the various cantonments
were not supplied with rifles, using
wooden guns and sticks instead. and
claims that this resulted in delay in
the training program, were found not
applicable to Camp Meade. Every man
| Is now equipped with rifle. but the
| wooden rifles aid blob" sticks are
stiI used for training purposes
| 1t was explained by an Army officer
| that the blob sticks are used in bayo-
| net work when two men are engaged
| in 1nimic combat. One man holds the
sticks, which have a wire lobe on the
end, while the other man, armed with
a gun and bayonet, tries to thrust
through the lobe, which is moved
swiftly in various directions by the op-
posing soldier.
is taught the selected soldiers Fur
thermore, it is not practical for two
men to oppose each other with guns
and bayonets, as they would soon
hack their weapons until they would
be unfit for service.
Rifles Heavy for Men at First.
During the early OF the tFdUHlHS
it was generally known that there was
a lack Of rifles. but the work OF the Sc
lected soldiers has not progressed to a
point where they were found neces-
sary. 1t was explained that 1t Is not
always advisable to give new men rifles
until they learn something about the
care and manner Of handling the weap-
orfS Again, to unhardened men, i'm
mediate training with the heavy rifles
imposes a severe tax on the strength
of soldiers that is not considered good
for their physical condition.
This is also true in regard to use of
sabers in the cavalry. When the
rockies undergo training In the use
of these weapons they cut and swing
with shaped sticks
The depot brigade Of the camp was
called upon to make its first contribu-
ton to the ranks of the division About
260 men were transferred to fill gaps in
the various regiments of the Liberty
Division.
Eight Go to .B12th Battalion.
Eight of this number will be sent to
the 312th Machine Gun Battalion. the
District unit. They are Henry Repkin,
from the 18th Company: Robert H.
ewe Andsew 1nds Steiner Jos Josepn pa. HiE 9ifh
Company: Sidney Horace. Fred Portz
and Charles H. Mease, from the 18th
Company.
w. w. WOOD, former superintendent
OF education in the state of Missouri,
now a special representative of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad. spoke at
two "Y" bungalows in the camp last
night on why This Is q Fight to the
Finish"
A general order from headquarters
has made 1t compulsory that designated
soldiers attend educational classes un-
der the auspices Of the Y. NJ. C. A.. four
afternoons each week. namely Monday,
Tuesday. Thursday and Friday.
To Aid Soldiers Of Foreign Birth.
The men selected to attend the
schools are largely soldiers of foreign
birth. who are unable to speak,
read or write English correctly. They
como from the 3o4th Engineers, the
304th Sanitary Train. the 312th Field
Artillery and several other organiza-
tions.
On Sunday evening mass meeting
song service will be held In the big
~" auditorium. One of the regimental
bands will be assigned to furnish the
| music for the occasion, while the
Liberty Division boys are expected to
break loose In deafening volumes of
| religious and patriotic anthems.
The Liberty Theater. which will open
| mex Monday, under the auspices of
| the commission on training camp ACTIVE
tiles. is the largest amusement house in
| Maryland. 1t has a seating capacity
| of more than 5000 and will be man
| aged by Charles E. Barton.