The Washington times., 1918-07-15

There Is q little army in wash
ington today sth4Fpnly,: OpS 6ttIts
kind. made up 1f forty six p9lltHt isIo en-
Client and pretty Girl Scouts; sAsy wore
over, it has anoJhef undue dtstfnc-
ton: il is perhApss the only Hki3aAry
group Of its size in the worla- that
has q major general IN commsnd The
commanding officer in this case is
Surgeon General, William c. Gorgss.
And the army" was gotten together
under his direction four weeks ago to
take over the messenger service in
his office as part of a general policy
war work
About a month ago the messenger
situation was causing some difficulty
in the Surgeon General office and
then Capt Ralph H. Jones hit upon
the bright idea OF using Girl Scouts.
which would clear up the situation
and at the same time relieve man
power. The Civil Service rules, strict
ly interpreted, at FIRST appeared as q
barrier to the girls serving.
Girl Scouts to Rescue.
Captain Jones Immediately entered
into consultation with Mrs. Coleman.
chief of the Girl Scout movement in
the District, and also with Mrs Her
bert Hoover. wife Of the Food Admin
istrator. who Is also connected with
the Girl Scout movement here. The
latter two enthusiastically seconded
the idea and prevailed upon Civil
Service officials to consent to the
girls serving, and within q day or
two eager Girl Scouts began trooping
into the Surgeon Generals office, in
sistent upon becoming real soldiers"
and serving their country.
Soon the army" grew to appreci-
able size. Captain Jones was placed
in immediate charge. However, the
strictest bars were set up to keep the
new army" on the highest possible
level, both as to mentality and physi-
cal fitness. Every effort was made to
attract applicants who had graduated
from high school, or at least from
grammar school. And before acceptA
ance each girl was examined by DR..
Kate B. Karpeles. contract surgeon,
attached to the Surgeon Generals
office. The physical standard required
was the same as that which 4 recruit
must measure up to.
During the course Of these examina-
tons seven girls were turned down.
test had disclosed physical infirmities
which school examiners had passed
over and not noticed. One or two OF
these cases were Of a serious nature,
and the girls parents will be forever
grateful for having had the defects
pointed out Medical officers have
since been treating them, and when
they are fully recovered the girls look
forward to becoming active members
OF the army"
Have Military DriIlG.
Not only Is the army" efficient,
courteous and good to look st2but II
Is also very soIdierly. There is a rea-
son for this: Five mornings a week
the giFls drill from s to Q a. m. Cap
tain Jones directs this phase Of their
training and the girls assert that II
would be impossible to find a better
detachment commander. They have
learned that he has grown up with the
army, having served in all capacities
and ranks. The actual drillmasters
are Sergeants Proctor and Patello.
who also know their business from
long training in camp.
Miss Marie n. Marks. Of the s. G. o.,
also drills with the" girls. She was
first appointed their chaperon and
since has been made q captain in the
national Organization OF Girl Scouts.
She wears the regulation uniform,
and has already become an expert
In the matter Of making the girls
cut their corners SQUARE
First thing In the morning after the