davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1918-05-26

coal and 1000 for seasoned wood. These
comparisons are interesting, II the
United States Is to do much with, her
vast peat deposits In the neighborhood
Of the Atlantic.
Also that peat in France has been
Of wide service to the military au-
thoritfes, and that much of the cook
ing in the field is done with IL where
it is available. may be q wise hint.
The army in Alsace, in the Vosges and
also in the Jura and the Haut-Saone
use it for this purpose. The securing
of peat and its preparation are simple
and not arduous, SO that French wom-
en- are employed in certain peat beds
in the Alsatian districts. In other beds
the French soldiers are utilized. but 1t
is the German prisoners who are de-
pended upon for the chief output.
~
Sweden, It is said, could not survive
the reduction in coal imports II It
were not for the possibilities now con-
sidered as lying in her peat bogs,
though these deposits are inferior and
s5 per cent water in many places. Like
the usage of wood as coal conserva-
tion the immediate vicinity Of a
Swedish peat bed should utilize such
fuel as can thus be obtained. The
largest bogs are to have plants To-
Gated nearby, and the desperate con-
dition facing Sweden next winter 1t Is
Evening star., 1918-05-26
FOOD CONSERVATION I'm
A GOVERNMENT BUREAU

61HE United States Food Admins
tration has repeatedly warned
the country to curtail its con-
sumption of food. Just now there is
being conducted in one of our most
important government bureaus a res
taurant where the program of the
food administration is being carried
out in a mastery manner.
This 1unchroom covers about $4,000
square feet of space on the top floor
of the bureau of engraving and print
ing. About one-half Of this area Is
used for a dining hall, divided into
other for women. Owing to the great
increase in the number of employees.
even this amount of room has become
inadequate, and part OF each one OF
the two big roof gardens has been
furnished to accommodate the over
flow.
The workers in this important
branch of the government service now
number about 1000. and they are
compelled by the very nature of their
work to remain within the confines OF
the building from the moment OF their
entrance until the completion of their
daily tasks. Most of them are en-
gagged on exhausting and laborious
duties which require a great amount
of physical endurance. This Of ne
These facts led to the establishment
of the Bureau Cooperative Lunch
Association. whose treasurer. l.. H.
Brown, in his latest financial state
ment, reports sales for the month
amounting to $4,000, with resources
and liabilities balancing.
The lunchroom is open for business
at i've specified periods throughout
each twenty-four hours. beginning at
midnight, with a half hour period for
the night force. and another between
3 and in the morning. Breakfast
is from 1880 to 8: midday luncheon
from II to 1880: dinner from $50 to
$50. and supper from $3.50 to $780,.
One feature Of the lunchroom Is the
serving of a hot meal, consisting of
an ample supply of vegetables. meat.
four slices of bread. butter. tea, coree
or cocoa for IS cents. No fried food
and vegetables are dispensed from
steam tables at a small cost. An
aDpetixinS salad. q dainty custard or
Evening star., 1918-05-26

hunk of war time cake can be
bought for S cents.
The present manager. Mr.. Tucker,
who has had wide experience in the
thing Is SO carefully planned and the
food so Judfciously prepared that po-
tato parfngs are about all that is
thrown away. Every form of supply
purchased for consumption by the
employees Is Of the best quality. the
association believing this to be the
first essential in food saving. All
the beef used Is boneless. which costs
a few cents more a pound, but is more
economical In the long run. Any
are consumed at each meal.
The $50 loaves of bread, an equal
number of pies, not to speak of corn
bread. mullins and cakes, are baked
daily on the premises. At present the
pies and cakes are being made Of corn
and barley meal with but a small
percentage of wheat -four.
Potatoes. which the food administra-
tion advises the people to make a
greater use of. owing to their present
meal. Three barrels of potatoes. each
barrel furnishing about 500 portions,
are used every day. They are usual
ly served mashed. which has been
found to be the most popular and
least wasteful method of preparing
them.
Some time ago. when 1t became i'm
possible to obtain cut sugar, the man
agement tried various methods of
sugar saving. but always endeavoring
not to deprive the employees of the
quantity sufficient to sweeten their
food. It was evident that the sugar
bowl. ever an fnducement to vast
full usage and which 1t was now be-
coming q problem to MI. must go.
Finally a plan was tried and adopted
which has not only solved a question
in saving. but also one in sanitation.
During rest periods one can see sew
eral girls carefully measuring out
sugar, allowing one tablespoonful for
each person and putting it In tiny
paper bags. These bags. when closet1
are put in hampers and placed in thu
lunchroom, where one Is put on ones
honor not to take more than the al
iotted portion. BY this method the
amount of sugar consumption has
been reduced from 22o to seventy
pounds q day.
Evening star., 1918-05-26

ly set it is cut transversely and longi-
tudinally into blocks. which. when
dried to about 80 to IS per cent moist
ure. have approximately the dimen-
sions of the ordinary building brick" :"
For agricultural purposes peat has
been in use in this country for some
time. It's high nitrogenous quality
enriches poor land to q high degree.
It is a source of nitrates, too. It Is
used in certain forms as a deodorizer
and disinfectant around farms. It
has also been used frequently as a
source of charcoal and coke of vari-
Gus by-products from coke retorts.
Germany has been making clothing
from peat since the war started. Peat
moss contains fbers easily adapted
to spinning. A certain kind of yarn
has been nrade of peat moss and
shoddy and Swedish wool. Cheviot Is
being woven of this yarn.
Peat. chemically prepared. Is being
used as a dressing for wounds in
various parts of Europe, and is said
to be a good substitute for medicated
cotton. This fact. related to what Is
called sphagnum moss peat, has been
known for years in Europe. There
are many square miles Of this kind
Of peat in the upper midwestern
states Of the United States.
From 100000 to 100000 tons of
peat are used in the war zone for fuel.
Evening star., 1918-05-26

plosive hail from the Stokes trench
mortar. His bullet must come from
nowhere. Yet 1t must invariably find
a billet.
Toward the making of a snfper
must go much more than merely the
ability to shoot straight. Patience
untold must be combined with the art
of the hunter and the skill and craft
may SO lack the other necessary quail
tiles as to be useless in the role of a
sniper. while some other soldier of
less ability with the rife may be fit
ted In every other way, and can. with
practice, add to his qualifications the
art of shooting.
The snfper is sent into the field to
protect his own trenches and all ap-
proaches thereto. This is accom-
plished by keeping the enemy fire
down to a minimum. by obtaining
mastery over enemy snipers and by
obtaining information about enemy
works. But he also must discourage
all the operations Of the enemy. both
offensive and defensive. This the
sniper does by instilling into the en-
emy the knowledge that out on the
disputed terrain which divides the
trenches. or hidden in some post of
vantage, behind or to one side of the
opposing line. lie men patiently wait
ing for an opportunity to send swift.
unerring death to him who shows
himself for even a few brief seconds.
1t Is such work as this which tends
to break down individual nerve in the
enemy rank and file just as the con-
stant dripping of water striking mo-
notonousfy upon the same spot on the
forehead Of torture victim can be
counted upon to drive him hopelessly
insane within few hours.
The active life Of the average sniper
is not long. Yet his training is both
long and expensive. while his weapon
must be the finest. That, perhaps,
better than anything else. indicates
the Importance Of the sniper in the
world war.
When the sniper goes forth to duty
he must know the lay of the land in
that portion of the battle front where
on he expects to work. He may find
Evening star., 1918-05-26
photo by Clinedinst.)

retired August II, 1915.
photo by Clinedinst.)
the proud titles of being not only
civil war. but. greater still. until
August. 1915, he was the only vet
eran of that trying period. remain
ing on the active list of the Army.
He was born in Newark. Ohio. not
quite ten years prior to the COM
mencement of hostilities. Fired with
zeal far beyond his years. he called
on Capt. McDougal of the Sd Ohio In
fantry and impaired to him his cher
ished desire of enlisting and accom-
panying the regiment south The cap
tain. after quizzical glance at john
ME and his four feet nothing, gave
somewhat reluctant consent. But
Johnnie was doomed to disappoint-
ment, for when the regiment reached
Cincinnati he was turned adrift. I'm
finally accorded the privilege of join
ing the ED Michigan Infantry. which
soon after left for the front. The SOL
diers took such kindly interest in
him from the start that he soon
learned to sound the rolls" and to
shoot a sawed-on musket. In May.
1852. the colonel Of the regiment ad-
ministered the oath to little Johnnie.
and that made him q sure-enough SOL
der at $13 per month. 1t was at Shi-
loh that his bravery won for him en-
during renoWn.
Unmindful of the shower of scream
ing shell that swept the field, he
maintained his position at the front.
firing when opportunity offered, until
felled by a Confederate shell. In an
instant he regained his feet and re-
sumed firing. He came forth from the
battle with three bullet holes in his
cap, but unscathed.
Surely, Providence worked overtime
in his behalf on that particular day.
His conduct at 'Chicamauga served to
enhance his ripening fame - ssoh
Evening star., 1918-05-26

NAX little heed of the indi-
HW vidual. Divisions figure in
" the battles where in other
wars companies and regiments made
the charge Thousands of machine
guns. each equivalent to a hundred
riflemen, pour forth death where in
previous times ragged vollies of rifles
punctuated the engagements Yet the
individual. IL he be an expert rifle
man. can be of inestimable value to
the side on which he fights. Just as
this war has developed the military
aviator, who from his battleplane
sends down sudden death In rain
of bombs, SO it has developed that
who. with his specially equipped rifle.
lies hidden in cunningly concealed
posts, to pick of enemy officers and
men at long ranges.
So well recognized has the need for
snipers become among all the war
ring nations that the training of
these men forms an important part
of all war programs. Germany, when
she opened the conflict: had dis
tinct branch of her military estab-
Hshment' comprised of snipers. And
so effective was their work that 1t
is said that this was one cause of
the growth of the art of camoufiage.
Today. however. no army but has Its
picked men. who represent all that
Is to be desired in the rif1eman. And
now the United States has taken
official cognizance of the need for
snipers, and on May 25 school was
opened at which instruction in rife
and pistol shooting will be given Of
ficers and enlisted men of the Ma
tiona1 Army.
The school, THE Small Arms Firing
School for the instruction of Officers
and Enlisted Men in Rifle and Pistol
Shooting" has another aim than
merely the training of snipers for
Evening star., 1918-05-26

others in Manitoba and the coastal
provinces.
Canadian experts. realizing that
the average heating plant 10 suitable
only for coal. believe that the best
results will be obtained in the burn
ing Of peat through by-product re-
covery producer gas plants and the
gas piped to buildings. Canada has
organized the American Peat Society
at Ottawa.
According to reports from the De.
partment Of Commerce. 21e peat ma
chimes were In operation in Norway
in 1917. almost 200 more than in 1918.
Two particularly good machines re-
Quired only two men each for the
turning out of from thirty to forty
tons OF fuel. The ordinary process IL
described as consisting In the thor
ough maceration or pulpinK Of the
freshly excavated peat and the spread.
ing Of the resultant mass on . portion
Of the bog prepared for drying pur.
poses. When the pulpsd peat has
been spread on the ground to = thick.
ness taA to 4 tnchsaa and haA sH@atsnta
Evening star., 1918-05-26

work abroad. In fact. its primary
object will be the training Of men
of the National Army in the use Of
the military rifle and pistol. who can
then return to their respective or
ganizations and systematize the train
ing in Workmanship. developing
aef o5aef n,9or ana ana ec1ent eourse
whereby every man in the National
Army will, when he starts for over
seas duty. be qualified to handle his
service arm in an effective manner:
In other words. the establishment OF
this school is the fulf1llment OF the
appeal sent months ago by Gen. Per-
shing. and which in this country re-
ceived strong backing from the Ma
tional Rifle Association OF America.
many of whose officials are now
on Lake Erie. that every man be
given a thorough training In marks
manship before being sent on over
seas duty.
In addition to training men who
will later train members of their re-
spective divisions. there will also be
turned out men who are Qualif1ed to
become American snipers. who will
take up their work on the far-hung
battle lines of Europe. with the crack
shots of England and Canada, there
to harass the Hun and destroy the
morale of the enemy.
* x
More than 500 officers have already
entered the school for a months in
tensive training. and within less than
two weeks another body of men. more
than 500, will report for instruction.
The school has been established at
Canp Perry Ohio the largest rifle
range in this country, and among the
largest in the world. Prior to being
taken over for government use this
range included a tract of 1000 acres.
but already additional ground has
been used with a view of fitting it
up for government use for the term
of the war. Camp Perry lies on the
Evening star., 1918-05-26

her senior. Damon at the age of
sixteen became Minute Man. his
period of service covering five years
and seven months. At the battle of
Long Island he fought under WASH
ington's eye. Left a widow four
years after her marriage. Mrs. Damon
declined numerous offers to wed
second time, being content to sup
port herself by nursing and sewing.
A pension of only $50 year was
awarded her. In her old age this
was increased to s2sS year.
Hiram Cronk. the last surviving
pensioned soldier of the war of 1872.
died thirteen years ago. aged 105
years. Mr.. Cronk, with his father
and two brothers. enlisted on the
same day. August 4. 1914. After the
close of the war the father and
three sons were honorabIy dis
charged.
Out Of many thousand survivors of
the civil war none is better known
nor has wider bid for fame than
Brig. Gen. John L. Glen. He boasts
Evening star., 1918-05-26

~ IDAcTICS as to coal conserva-
ton still continue. and with
III ~ reason. A substitute vaguely
- talked of heretofore Is now
being Investigated thoroughly and esti-
mates made upon its value from several
angles. This is peat It has been de-
scribed as dark brown or black resi-
dunn produced by the partial decom-
position Of mosses. sedges and other
vegetable matter in marshes and like
wet places" Its origin, therefore. lies
in soil which is never dry. and the At
lantic coastal plain is dotted with many
valuable deposits.
It is much emphasized In some quar-
tiers that commercial development of
these practically untouched peat de-
posits would give unimagined relief to-
ward solving the fuel shortage in the
United States. We have never really
needed It before. because coal has been
abundant. but Europe is old in the lore
Of peat. Those whose reading as chill
dren covered the work and play of
children in the rural districts Of Eu-
rope remember the frequent mention of
peat bogs. They were attractive to the
imagination. for they were the homes
Evening star., 1918-05-26

hoped may be frightened somewhat
The riksdag voted a large appropria-
tion last winter for the thorough in
vestigating Of the value of Swedish
peat.
II this Is true. and the American
peat deposits are SO rich in fuel value,
we need have no fears of certain fuel
famine. The failure here to manufac-
ture peat fuel on a commercial basis
with success appears to have been due
to inexperience Of operators and mis-
takes in engineering, II an authority
in Boston Is to be believed. He says
that peat which is air dried by ma
chinery Is only slightly inferior in
point of calories Of heat to Ignite
coal. and that such fuel can be pro-
duced at from Is cents to $3.50 a ton.
depending upon the facilities Of the
plant. The United States geological
survey is a believer in peat as q means
Of present relief. According to esti-
mate there are more than II 900
square miles OF swamp land in this
country containing peat beds Of good
quality. The total available fuel pro.
durable would amoupt'to more than
Evening star., 1918-05-26

Of will o. wisps. and II held one to think
of carving out a piece Of the earth
with a knife, then taking It home to
put in the kitchen stove.
France before the war did not use
much Of her great peat deposit, be-
cause Of the trouble digging and trans
porting 1t. but the change IN economic
conditions and the shortage of other
fuel made the usage Of peat q neces-
sity. The beds not entirely decomposed
afford the best fuel, after being dried
properly. They have plenty Of heat
and little smoke. according to the
LIllustratione Of February 16 last.
Black peat has not much fuel value.
says the same writer. adding that the
best peat viii Be found to give out
5000 calories Of heat to the kilo-
Gramm% ~ against 5000 calories for
Evening star., 1918-05-26

shore of Lake Erie. within sight OF
Put-in-Bay, where Commodore Perry
fought his famous fight 1t is be-
cause of this fact that the camp was
so named.
Steps have been taken by the gov
ernment to insure to the men coming
to the school for instruction the best
that can be given in every phase of
rifle and pistol knowledge. The COM
mandant of the school is Lieut.. Col.
Morton c. Mumma. one of the best
military shots Of this country. In
recent years closely identified with
rife and pistol shooting in the Army.
Col. Mumma. in 1913. was captain Of
the Palma team. Each year. prior to
the war, there was held an interna-
tional match. at which gathered men
who were the crack shots with tho
military rife in their respective
countries. The Palmer trophy rep
resents the most coveted prize which
can be won by team in the world.
team means that a man must be even
more than an expert rineman. Maj.
Smith w. Brookhart Of Iowa. who Is
among the foremost exponents OF
rifle practice in this country. has
been appointed chief instructor. Some
time ago nearly a score of premier
rifiemen were mobilized by the gov
ernment for duty in connection with
popularizing the new service Fifie
with which the National Army is to
be equipped. These men in every in
stance are expert riflemen, and with
the establishment Of the Small Arms
Firing School they were detached
from their previous work as rifle
demonstrators" and sent to Camp
Perry, where they will serve under
Mai Brookhart.
Every, man who reports at Camp
Perry VIII receive a months intensive
training. which will cover every phase
of military rifle and pistol shooting.
as well as a thorough knowledge Of
the weapons themselves. The first
week will be devoted to necessary
preliminaries and gallery practice.
Evening star., 1918-05-26

protection In q previously planned
shelter for just this purpose, or he
may make his post in a tiny crater In
no mans land, or in a room of some
ruined house. But. If necessary, the
sniper must also be able to create
cover where none exists. and create 1t
in such way that it will defy detec-
tion.
Once a sniper has taken up his post,
there are innumerable things he must
do and remember in order that he
may remain undetected by the en-
emy. If his post be in house, he al
ways stands at the back of the room
when firing. When shooting through
a small aperture in brickwork. the
sniper always waters the opening.
thus preventing the gas of the ex-
plosion from blowing out any dust
and betraying the spot whence the
shot came. In constructing a new
loophole. in earth. the sides are al
ways boarded or otherwise protected
to prevent the explosion from blow
ing dust. In constructing new loop
holes they are always gagged" at
front and curtained behind. Before
removing the gag" the sniper al
ways drops the curtain. to prevent
light striking through the loophole
and thus betraying his position.
When a new snipers post has been
constructed. 1t is always left unoccu-
pied for a day or two and kept under
observation. to see whether or not 1t
has been spotted by enemy snipers
and is being fired upon. Once a used
sniper's post has been discovered by
the enemy. sniper leaves it as soon
as possible. but not before he had
posted a dangerous. sign that those
who follow him may read.
The sniper Of today Is a highly de-
veloped prototype of the sharp
shooter" Of days gone by. Nor Is the
art Of sniping itself entirely a product
Of this war. although the rules that
govern sniping today are entirely diff
ferent from those ever used before.
Shipping originated In the Crimean
war in the British army. was en-
ployed to a considerable extent dur
ing the civil war, and sporadic in
tiny of Sc. No organized efforts in
Evening star., 1918-05-26

on the outdoor range. The second
and third weeks will be given over to
short and mid-range practice with
the service rife. The remainder OF
finishing touches on the education of
the student as a rifeman and will
take him into long-range practice and
through the school of the sniper. An
ments of each student will be kept by
the statistical office of the school,
and upon the completion of the course
will be transmitted to the head Of the
division.. from which the student was
sent.
But whatever Importance attaches
to the work Of teaching every man in
the National Army the lesson of
straight shooting. and it is one of the
most vital lessons they have to learn.
there is no gainsaying that there is a
glamour surrounding the work of the
sniper.
The sniper does not fight in large
numbers. nor does he make his ad-
vance under cover of barrage. In
stead, he fares forth alone. or with a
single companion as observer, into
the contested territory of the she'll
torn battle front. There he finds him
shelter and waits, perhaps an hour.
but more likely a day or two days.
before he pulls trigger to his rife.
For it is not the duty of the sniper
to send hail of rapid fire into the
ranks of enemy patrols. His task it Is
to wait until some member of the
enemy. more adventurous than his
fellows, dares peep above the protec-
tion of his parapet. Then Is the bull
let of the sniper loosed. sure death for
its objective. For the real work of
counting for SO many lives. The sniper
has a far greater duty-the breaking
down of the morale Of the enemy. By
the constant picking of of individu-
terrible factor than the shrieking
shell from the seventy-nve or the ex-
Evening star., 1918-05-26
The Good Consort.

I'D IsHoP EVANS TYREE said in a
D Nashville interview:
Tho German 'Gott' 10 a warning
divinity. a heather divinity. The Ger
man idea Of goodness reminds mo Of
the bereaved widow. Mrs. Wash
White.
80 you've lost your husband said
Mrs. Cal Clay. He certainly was q
good man, wasn't her
He certainly was said the widow.
No three COPS in Nola Chucky could
handle him."