The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-03-07
CAMP DODGE
NEWS NOTES
The Embryo Sons of Mars Are "Giv.
en- the Glad Hand" Upon Their Ar
rival at the Iowa Cantonment.-
Have a Jolly Time EnrOute.
A SPLENDID CAMP LIBRARY.

A SPLENDID CAMP LIBRARY.
Woman's Building is Inspected.-The
Giant Recruits Are Assigned to
Same Company-No More Dances
Allowed in Barracks.
Camp Dodge, Ia., March 6, 191S.-
"Big doins' at the 18th military can
tonment" is what the newcomers at
Camp Dodge are writing to the home
folks. 1t was great sight for on
lockers and great experience for the
young men as train after train pulled
into the siding at the great encamp-
ment. The men who came last Sep
tember received no greetings from
those who had been in the service be-
cause everybody was having his first
taste Of military life, but with this
last arrival things were quite differ
ent. Thousands of men who had been
drilling and doing various other mill
tary stunts for the past six months,
were on hand ready to give the boys
a cheerful greeting. 1t was great
event in the life Of every new arrival
and the cordiality with which the new
men were received made everybody
feel that friendly spirit predomin-
ates at the big camp. The men who
have been here all winter, including
the crack regiment belonging to the
regular army, are giving the new
men all the assistance possible, and
as soon as quarantine is over there
will be some high-class stunts pulled
off at the Liberty theatre and at the
big halls maintained by the Y. M. G.
A., the Knights of Columbus and the
Lutheran Brotherhood, for the special
benefit of the raw recruits. The nine
regimental bands will join in another
great concert and there will be
enough entertainment to dispel home
sickness if such would manifest it.
elf. One of the interesting things in
classifying the new men is to note
how quickly a fellow drops into the
very place best suited to him. Prev
ious occupation, special preparation,
along any line or the bend of mind
and inclination foreshadowed in the
questions asked, enable the authorities
to quickly place a man in that par
ticular service for which he is best
fitted. And there is use in the army
for men from every calling and class
under the sun. The new men had
been reading about the camp, many
of them had visited it so they were
not slow in adopting the methods and
customs in keeping with the new or
der of things. Gen. Plummer, gray
haired and sedate, but with a cor
diality that makes everybody at ease,
gave personal attention to many de-
tails and the 1000 officers We'd with
each other in contributing to the well
fare of the new arrivals. Since spend
! ing three months with the armies Of
the American soldiers and he is es-
pecially gratified over the condition
of Camp Dodge and the splendid re-
cord the men are making in the vari-
Gus and complicated drills outlined.
Col. Ralph P. Howell, who has had
the duty of assigning each man to
his proper unit, is being highly COM
plimented upon the manner in which
he has kept the long line of men NOV
ing. Howell makes very few bad
guesses, and most of the arrivals will
find themselves assigned to congenial
duties. One practice being followed
in the present increment is the as
signment Of men with special quail
fications to the depot brigade. The
depot brigade will act as a reservoir
from which other units may draw
J skilled soldiers when needed, or from
which mechanics, masons, ETC., may
be assigned directly for service in
France.
The Medical Examination.
One of the experiences most dread
ed by the average "tenderfoot" is the
medical examination. There is moth
ing especially serious that happens
but about all of the men enter upon
the part Of the initiatory program in
a nervous condition. A couple Of
hundred men, with every vestige Of
clothing removed, are lined up along
the side of the room. A military ex-
pert, perhaps he was your physician
at home but he is now major or cap
tain, grasps the first man in the ranks
by the arm and quicker than you can
say Jack Robinson the fellow has been
vaccinated. He has just about time
enough to say ouch when another
surgeon takes him in hand, gives him
a dab just behind the left armpit,
with an iodine swab, and shoots him
full Of couple million dead typhoid
germs. Some Of the recruits begin
to get nervous at this stage Of the
proceedings. A small percentage Of
the biggest, huskiest recruits OF the
/ lot faint dead away shortly after dis
robing, either though nervousness or
excitement, or because Of the touch
Of the vaccinating needle. However
/ il your recruit should faint, he will
!, find immediate first aid treatment. =
husky sergeant will pick him from til