The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-12
Sammies 1T Funston Required
To Give More Attention
To Personal Appearance, Disci-
pine and General Conduct.
STAFF observers" ABOUT
Some Junior Officers Are Listed
as Lax.
A Higher Degree of Efficiency
Is Desired.

Certain Junior Officers of the s9th-
division must spruce up" They must
give more attention to their personal
appearance. discipline and conduct
A rather tart hint to that effect was
given in the general orders issued by
the commanding general, who at the
same time stated: THE enlisted per-
sonnet has made splendid response
to disciplinary requirements and has
advanced well beyond the point justi-
fled by the conduct of certain junior
Officers
Staff observers are continually
going about the camp taking notes on
enlisted men and officers who fail to
comply with various regulations or
who otherwise set a. bad example. In
most casesf he men are first told of
their mistakess and then, if they are
not remedied, the men must stand
trial. With the high grade of men
here. it is the hope of the higher Off
if not surpass, any other division in
the United States army. And they
have made an excellent start.
Particular attention will be paid to
the standardizing of instruction and
discipline among the junior officers of
| the division" the recent order states.
Newly assigned officers and officers
attached to organizations will be. given
every opportunity for commanding
men that discipline and training of or
ganizations will Justify 1t has been
the observation of the division COM
mander. thus far, that the greatest
laxity of discipline has been on the
part OF some junior officers. The di-
vision commander, therefore. expects
all officers OF this command to justify
their commissions by immaculate ap-
pearance and 'irreproachable conduct
! at all times"
/ In the schedule of detectives to be
accomplished by the command during
/ the month of January, the first thing
| that is listed is the attainment of a
higher degree of discipline and eff
cheney. special attention to be paid to
violations of military courtesy and
uniform regulations, both within and
without the captcnment.
! Maj. Gen. Charles c.. Ba1lou wants
/ his men to observe those things when
when they are in camp. So hereafter,
when the men go home on visits, they
had better be careful about putting on
| unauthorized decorations as has
| been the habit of a few in the past
There will be no let-up in the work
| of physical conditioning of all men
and officers. Details will continue at
| tending divisional schools and anti
gas instruction. There also will be
| classes in map reading and the use of
/ compass by officers and selected en-
| listed men,
| More French classes will be started
for officers and for selected enlisted
men, and with the volunteer classes
now going on it's safe bet that near
| ly every man of the division will be
! able to at least make his wants known,
| either by sound or gesture, when he
gets In France.
Besides the regular work of drill
| ing. target practice, bayonet and gren-
ade work in the trenches, the infantry
will be given some night exercise in
warfare, and specialists as snipers-to
pick off German ''snoopers''-will be
selected from the best marksmen.
| L.iaison details also will be made.
In the artillery, the school of fire
and the school for "non-eoms'''i will
continue. Along with the other regu-
| lar work, the artillerymen will be Civ
en- more equitation and instruction in
the care of horses and mules. The lat
ter will serve to introduce the curry
comb and brush to many young
/ man.
| Besides experimenting the work on
| the divisional trench system on Car
penter hill. the engineers of the com
| mand will take up road and railroad
work and instruction In handling and
packing equipment.
| During the course of the January
period of instruction. division schools
! in 1iaison, equitation, boxing, wrest-
ling, teaming and packing, and
| topography and landscape sketching
will be started with view of training
instructors for the division. Even the
movies will be introduced to aid in
the training of Uncle Sans soldiers.
Special motion pictures, covering the
important phases of training will be
employed under the direction of the
director of the divisional schools.
There is to be keen competition in
the various branches. of training. for
at the close of the period of training
and at various intervals during the
training. appropriate tests will be con-
Quoted by organization commanders in
order to rate their organizations in
relative proficiency. The results Of
these tests will be published that
everybody may know which organiza-
ton is making the most rapid prog
ress in the work.