Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-07-05

Special attention is being given BY
the medical department Of the army
in all camps to cleaning up spots
where mosquitoes and dies breed. In
some cases it has been necessary to-
dig channels in streams, drain swamps,
and put in elaborate ditching systems.
to clean up stagnant pools and streams.
In cases where 1t has been impossible
or impracticable to drain swamps and
do similar work, there has been In
stalled system for keeping slow-moy-
ing streams and still bodies Of water
covered with oil. At all points within
the camp where there Is the slightest
possibility Of mosquitoes or flies breed
ing daily spraying Of oil Is done.
Arrangements have been completed
with the federal public health service
to carry out q similar program In the
territories adjacent to the camps. The
health service has agreed to I'LL boys,
open streams, and drain swamps, and
continue the oil spraying for dis
lance Of mile around each camp.
Special precautions have been taken
to prevent the spread Of disease BY
flies. Instructions were given on the
disposal Of materials that were likely
to become breeding spots. Arrange
ments were made to protect all food
from flies. With this end in view, all
buildings in which food is prepared or
stored were screened. Entrances to
the buildings have been vestibuled.
An average of 5000 fiytraps have been
placed in each camp. More than g.
100000 square feet Of screening has
been placed in all camps.
To assist in meeting the present
shortage in unskilled labor restrictions
have been temporarily removed on the,
Importation Of Mexican labor to be
used in certain occupations This step.
supplements the order by which the,
department Of labor has arranged TO-,
bring Porto Rican laborers into this
country for work on government con-
tracts. It is estimated that $4,000 Is
landers can be brought in while trans
portation Is available.
New regulations on the subject OF
Mexican labor contain rigid provisions
to prevent any attempt at exploitation
on the part Of prospective employers.
Wage rates current for similar labor
In the localities in which the admitted
alien is to be employed are assured.
as we'll as good housing and sanitation
conditions.
The Quartermaster's department Is
now supplying gas-proof food contain
ers to the soldiers In the zone Of op-
erations In France These containers
prevent sespAge Of gas into the con-
tainers and guard against contamina-
ton Of the food. The men carry theiS
emergency rations in the containers
and all food brought up to the
trenches Is carried In the new tins.
After the food is packed in the con
tainers they are Theoretically sealed.
It il planned to use paranan for seal,
Ing, a. 1t settles In the crevices In
such q way that it must be cut before
the lids can be taken-oh. It can b
applied BY running the containers
through a parafin bath. Ss
Because the supply Of tin u limited
and there may not be enough to sup
ply the needs Of the army the quarter
masters department Is expertmenting
with the wax paper box. Tssts made
show that these boxes meet Ill condi-
tons satisfactorily. The tins and
boxes both are vermln and water
proof.
There are now ~ theaters, which
cost over $4,000, in operation In
camps and cantonments throughout
the country. Nearly 100 vaudeville
acts have been brought from the large
circuits to play in these theaters only;
about 80 acts have been secured from
Chaptauqua and lyceum bureaus; 80
comedy companies are playing in these
tAeaters exclusively. Some OF these
are original New York companies,
playing the summer season only. with
expenses reduced about two-thirds.
The camps have been divided into
two circuits. In one the Liberty the
aters seat 5000, In the other the
houses are smaller. having q capacity
Of about 1000 each. 1t takes from IA
to Is weeks for production to be
staged in each house Of either circuit.
"Smileage" books. sold thrrnxh"ut
the country under the direction Of the
commission on training camp aci'vt-
ties, contain coupons good tor nd
mission to all attractions In camp the
aters.
Forty-six societies representing z
nationalities Of foreign-born citizens
are planning monster celebrations. pa
geants. parades and speech-makinS 10
the principal cities of the United
States fos July 4. Represented u the
groups are Armenians, Assyrians, Bed
CLANS. Chinese. Czecho-SlavA Daoea