Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-09-19
INITIAL STEPS IN
MAKING A SOLDIER
Interesting Description of Evo-
luton AT the Camps.

interesting letter from Antoinette
Funk. director of Propaganda and
Speakers Department National Wo-
mans Liberty Loan Committee, Of
Washington:
When man is selected for military
service the immediate anxiety. the i'm
mediate concern, is his destination,
his physical welfare. his housing
feeding. clothing and health
The new soldier is under the direc-
ton of the Provost Marshal Generals
department from the time he is ac-
cepted until he takes the train for
the camp he is assigned to. At that
moment the transportation depart
ment takes him in charge. If his
journey is long one he travels by
Pullman or tourist sleeper. Meals
are provided to him along the way at
a maximum cost of sixty cents.
Under recent ruling the selected
man is Immediately given an arm
band. This takes the place Of uni
form until the a'--- when he is equip
ed with one mp and this arm
band carries ne authority. pro-
lection and responsibility that the
uniform does. The enemy would
have right to fire upon him or take
him pri,oner. and anyone selling him
liquor would be subject to prosecu-
ton under federal law.
Arriving at his cantonment he is
assigned to quarters, usually in a
ty OF air and sunlight. and with the
cleanesi cf floors-1fioors' that would
meet the u '-time test clean enough
to eat from He sleeps in a well
ventilated roam with other soldiers,
but not too lniny, the number being
regulated by the cubic feet of air
space in the chamber The army
bed is an extra width cot with good
steel springs and bedding suited to
RIO weather and climate; two 'blan-
Ee.s are assigned to him, all wool
blankets, khaki color. Sometimes he
gets three and two thick comforters
more if the weather demands.
Lavatories are located at the year
of these quarters. with water pies
sure and fixtures of a design similar
to that used in the best hotels in the
country, and for every company unit
there are from four to six shower
baths. Cleanliness OF person. and sur
roundings are absolute requirements
of the United States army. Every
possible precaution is taken by the
sanitary corps to insure that the camp
conditions are 100 per cent sanitary.
Drainage is installed along strictly
scientific lines, and the most scienti-
fic disposition is made of all camp
sewage During previous wars more
men have died from preventable dis
ease than from bullet wounds. Dur
ing the civil war soldiers persisted by
Z thousands from typhoid, camp fever,
dysentery and kindred diseases re-
sulting from unsanitary conditions
about the camp. These days are
gone. General Gorgas. who made
the building of the Panama Canal
possible by draining the Canal Zone
and fitting it up for human habitation
is in charge of army sanitation.
AS soon as the soldier is assigned
to quarters he is given the most
searching physical examination Ali
scientific medical tests are applied to
detect disease. For instance, if there
are indications of tubercular infection
the patient is put under observation
that there may be no mistake in the
diagnosis. If there is incipient trou-
Bile he is sent to one of the army
sanitoria and restored to health. If
his case is advanced he is relieved
from military service or exempted
until physically fit.
Besides the examining surgeon
there is the dentist Teeth are put
in good condition here, and there are
dentists overseas to keep them in
good condition. Also there is an or
thopedic surgeon to examine the sold.
ier's feet. 1t has been said that
during past wars there were more de.
sertions from foot trouble than all
other causes combined The atten-
ton given to the selection of shoes
for the soldiers in the American army
is sidelight on the care we give
cur men.
When a soldier gets his first pair
OF shoes he gets pair that fit his
feet No account is taken of the size
he wore before His feet are placed
in cunningly devised form where
the length and width are exactly de-
termined. He bears his weight on
this little machine and an officer and
non-commissioned officer take the
size record of both feet. his name