The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-11-14
IS ART
OF MODERN WARFARE
Word Comes From French
~Slang-How It Came to Be
Used at This Time.
Miss Willie Duncan.

Behind American Lines In France,
(by MALTA make believe forest
stands along the edge Of the road at
the entrance to the American camou-
flage station here. 1t looks as natural
as the real woods along the fighting
front. with the shiny silver bark Of
beeches, the rough, jagged trunks Of the
old apple trees and the sprouting tops
OF the dwarf willows.
Yet, every tree in the camouflage
forest has a steel core within which an
observer peers forth to watch the
movements Of an enemy or a machine
gun Is located to sweep FORTH from Its
hidden rec ass. They are only one Of
the many strange devices to deceive
and mystify the enemy which this
American camouflage station is sending
forth to the fighting army.
~CamOuflage Is one Of the distinctly
new products Of the war, even in the
name, which was used for the first
time by General de Castlenau, Chief Of
staff OF General Joffre. The word is
not good French. but comes from the
argot, or French slang, the verb
~"camoufler" being used by French po-
lice to indicate any disguise used to
capture criminals. For Example, a de-
tective camouflages himself by dress
ing as q coachman.
Early in the war the famous portrait
painter, Giron de Sivela, conceived the
idea OF Disgusting batteries and build
ings by painting them in fantastic pat
terms blending with the landscape. He
laid the plan before General de Castle
nau. who. struck with the practical
value Of the plan, exclaimed "Camou-
flage.' And from that time the words
grew and with ii grew into a remen-
dous magnitude this art OF mislead-
ing the enemy.
The American army has been quick
10 make a full use Of the strange new
weapon of warfare and the camou-
ilage plant is one of the most complete
IN existence with a working force OF
nearly 1000 and a staff including many
or the well known mural artists and
decorators and sculptors Of America,
all OF them engaged in producing these
curious devices by which military art
deceives the enemy.
One OF the officers, Captain Homer
saint is a son Of the American
M y Saint Gaudens, Another,
Major Tracy. is n prominent architect
VINO did much OF the work on the Vim
COIN memorial. Lieutenant Barry
Faulkner. is an American mural artist
and Lieutenant Sherry Frey. an Amer
q sculptor in Paris. Sergeant Les.
lie Thrasher n II. Earl Christv and
corporal Duer are well known Ameri-
can Illustrators: Walt Lee Is a car.
toonist and Sergeant Murphy is an
American mural decorator whose work
Is well known in England.
But there must be something more
IMAM stage properties In the produc-
lions OF these artists. they must be
practical n suited To the uses Of war
rare ana II is the part Of Colonel Ben
MON. head Of the camouflape station
10 Keep these artistic productions with
In practical limits. The colonel Is an
engineer officer with West Point train
ing, and when any camouflage is adopt-
ed FOR American army uses, il has tho
double merit or being the product of
american artistic skill and at the same
.niie an eminently practical device from
the standpoint OF military engineerinp