Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1918-01-31
BIG ARMY NEEDED
FOR AIR SERVICE
FORTY TO FIFTY MEN REQUIRED
FOR EACH ACTIVE PLANE At
THE FIGHTING FRONT.
FIGURES BY HOWARD COFFIN
Veterinary corpe and Remount scrv
Ice Growing RapidIy-Information
About tho Pay Received by Uncle
Sans Enlisted Men.

(trom Committee on Public Informntion.)
WnshingtOn.-In Il statement ISSUED
by Howard Il. Coffin, chairman of the
aircraft production board, is the fol.
lowing:
"1n discussing the accomplishments
Of the air service in the consummation
Of the army program, it will be we'll to
point out the impossibility of certain
proposals enthusiastically and persist
emily put forward by word of mouth
and In the press. We have seen and
heard much OF the proposed 100000
alrplanes to be provided by the United
States within tia, next year. In coun-
try where one great industry produces
1.tO00O0 motorcars per year. the fab
rication Of 100000 planes might seem
easy, but actual figures based upon
three years of practical experience in
the war shows that there are now he.
tween 40 and 80 men of the auxiliary
services required for each active ma
chine Mt the front. II this same ratio
should be adhered to in our service. 1t
wonld mean that some 4,OOO.0DO mon
woul', be required in our nrronnntiral
department on foreign soil between
our ports of ncbarkntiOm and the fight
ing front.
even though this number Of men
cou'd be reduced by 20 per cent by in
creased efficiency ard standardization.
the number required is still staggrr-
ing. Consider. also. the overseas
transportation problem as related to
material only and without reference
to personnel and its maintenance. The
transportation Of finished planes prop
erly Grated, with the necessary spares,
accessories, and equipment is in itself
q serious problem, in view of the situ-
ation In ship tonnage"
When war was declared the strength
Of the United States army in animals
was G6.145; 1t Is now $4,000. The
one officer and four clerks in Washing
ton. five remount depots where horses
were received, and personnel and
purchasing organization in the field In
proportion. The veterinary corps, re-
sponsible for the treatment Of animals,
consisted Of Ga officers and no enlisted
personnel when the United States en-
tered the war;
The veterinary corps faced the job
Of building m organization of about
1000 officers and 10000 men. The
1000 officers have been secured and
enlisted men are being transferred Mt
rate which will soon bring it up to
Its full authorized strength.
The relnount service had similar
task in securing personnel. It's pres
emf strength Is about 800 officers and
1000 enlisted men. In place OF i
remount depots 1t has "a. for which
plans Ind to he drawn. sites chosen
and construction OF sheltcr. hospitals
storage buildings. and unloading ia
cillties in short time.
The greater proportion Of deaths Of
animals in the army results from innu.
enza. popularity known as "shpring
fever" and Its complications. British
losses on horses purchased in the
United States during the war have
been about 10 per cent, counting only
deaths occurring In this country
French and Italian losses have been
higher
The rank Of commissioned officers 81
the United Stntcs army is shown by
Insignia on the shoulder loops.
The shoulder loops of n general heal
the coat Of arms Of the United State.
and two silver stars; lieutenant gen
eral, one large and two small silver
stars: major general, two silver stars
brigadier general one silver star
colonel. silver spread-eagle; lieutenant
colonel. silver leaf; major. gold leaf
captain. two silver bars; first lientcn
ant. one silver bar: second lieutenant
gold bar.
The shoulder loop Of a chaplain
bears a Latin cross.
A recent comparison of health re
ports from troops in the United State
and the exheditionary forces shows TIL
admit QSion ,0 a to hocn;toIo RI ho trroo