Evening star., 1918-06-14
DOGS Join ARMY
AND TOUR FRANCE
Sheltered Homes Abandoned
for Wandering Life
With Soldiers.
BY JuNIUs B. WOOD.

BY JUNIUS b. WOOD.
Special Correspondence of The Evening
Star and Chicago Daily News.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE. May 3.-Toto had always
been a quiet, well behaved dog who
never wandered farther from the
front gate than to meet his mistress
at the corner and always curled on
his rug in front Of the kitchen FIRE,
dreaming Of dog heavens with unend-
ing boneyards, before the family
lighted the candles and climbed up
stairs to bed.
One day company Of soldiers
marched by and Toto left home. Any
well behaved dog, reared in luxury
and pampered like the family's favor
lite son. will desert home and friends
to follow a company of soldiers. He
doesn't need to be coaxed or even in
vited.
When an army is in camp there are
always a dozen or more dogs as mas
cots or pets of different organiza-
tions. After the first days march the
number has doubled. and If the hike
runs over SeVeTdl odyS tHe Aour-Iool-
ed camp followers trailing along on
each side Of the road outnumber the
footsore stragglers.
They are volunteers and stick to the
finish. Some say they are lured by
the odors of the rolling kitchens and
the promise of high living. Just as
likely it is the canine instinct for
no officers to give them orders.
New Dogs Join Army.
When the army started out on this
hike a few dogs were riding, hidden
in comfortable berths on the top Of
combat wagons, or trotting amiably
along the hedges. At the end of the
first day the army had an added ac-
compartment of fox terriers, Scotch
settlers. Belgian police dogs, spaniels.
Airedales and assorted breeds which
ciers' show. All were plump and sleek
from the years of sheltered lives
they had led before the spirit of
travel suddenly seized them.
They were welcomed by the veterans
Of their ilk. An army dog seldom
all, not to mention scraps Of canned
corn and other morsels outside the
bread diet Of dogs in civilian life. Oc-
casiona1ly a belligerent home "purp"
dashes to the roadside with bristling
back and deep-throated growls. The
marching dogs greet him amiably.
There is a dog soviet, and unless a
watchful owner Immediately rescues
his pet another dog has hit the road.
Around the first mess kitchen that
got into action a little screw-tailed
brindle bull was very active one day.
Three months ago I had seen that
same dog in another village Of France
several hundred miles away. He had
trotted into the Salvation Army
kitchen and made himself at home
in front of the fire. and one of the
lassies in charge had explained that
he had left his home in a neighbor-
ing village to join an infantry kitchen
company. That afternoon he followed
US to another ruined town nearer
the front and the last report from him
was that he was being inveigled to
join an artillery kitchen outfit when
an infantry teamster happened along,
recognized the screw tail, whipped
the artillery kitchen police and took
the bull pup back on his wagon. The
dog is still with tho infantry. has put
in his time in the trenches, ridden
over a good portion OF France on
railroad trains and done the rest on
wagons or on foot like any two-legged
infantryman