The Benson signal., 1918-06-29
.rha esoz,s.rsoas oonu pc

trenches it was found that the brims
Of their campaign hats interfered with
sighting through trench periscopes and
that in the cases of tall men the high
crowns could be seen above the para
pets. The new cap is SO low that, 1t
permits the men to move with prac
tically the same freedom as when they
are hatless. The french helmet can
be worn over it.
Only soldiers who have been with
the expeditionary forces wear the cap
According to reports from France new
regulations provide that officers shall
wear their insignia of rank on the cap,
and enlisted men place on it the button
prescribed to be worn on the left side
of the collar OF. the service coat.
The total cost for National army
cantonments was $14O,726, 473, accord
ing to a statement by the war depart-
ment. The National Guard camps
cost $3S,375,272.
Emergency work to provide for sol
diers in this country and to provide
buildings for the manufacture and
storage Of army supplies both here and
abroad undertaken by the construction
division of the army, which has been
executed or is under way and in pros
pect up to June l, will cost about ST.
170,619,O0Q This total is exclusive of
three operations costing $106000,000,
under the direct control of the ord
nance department.
Up to June 1 the construction divi-
sion had completed SO jobs, at a total
cost of $202, ,25O000. 1t has pa OPERA
tions under way, which, when finished,
will cost about $27O,369,OOO. Prepara-
tions are being made to start work on
117 new opera tons which are expected
to cost $7OOOO0,00O.
Two out of every 1000 men in the
army have to have their shoes made to
order. In several camps entire regi-
ments have had their feet measured,
and hundreds Of drawings were made
Of odd shapes and Sizes. At the pres
eht time the army uses between 2,0OO,-
900 and 100000 pairs Of shoes a
month.
Facts brought out in tests seem to
prove that men in the present army
are larger than those serving in previ-
Gus wars. Not only is this shown by
the larger sizes of shoes called for, but
by the larger sizes Of outer clothing
that is being required Records in the
quartermaster corps show that a size
larger, on the average, is being de-
manded in blOuses, shirts and breecheS
than have ever before been used.
AS a result of the studies at the
front, methods have been developed
whereby more than 80 per cent of the
wounded, who originally remained at
the military hospitals for months. are
now cured and returned to the forces
in three or four weeks. In order that
army surgeons stationed at camps,
environments, and other military hos
pitfalls in this country may thoroughly
wounds, the army medical department
has had established special classes of
instruction to which are sent selected
officers who, upon completion of their
courses, return to their own hospitals
and instruct other surgeons in these
methods.
DUTY to ones country does not end
on the parade ground, nor even on the
battlefield, but consists in doing every
thing in ones power to help win the
war;" says an order issued by General
Pershing, a copy Of which has been re-
ceived by the war department.
"To write home frequently and reg
ularly to keep in constant touch with
family and friends is one Of the SOL
diers most important duties. Mothers
and fathers will suffer if they do not
hear often from sons fighting in
France. In the present large COM
panies it is not possible for officers to
write letters for their men, and every
man must do it for himself"
Applicants for commissions as first
lieutenants in the engineer corps, ac-
cording to statement by the war de-
partment, should be between thirty
two and thirty-six years of age and for
commissions as captains between thir-
tysix and forty-two. The engineer
corps is conducting campaign for
1000 more commissioned officers, the
examining board making a tour of the
principal cities of the country to make
examination readily available for ap-
plcants.
The $120OO0,O00 allotted for the