Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-09
SOLDIERS BY USING
BOOKS STUDY Jobs
War of Mechanism and Exact
Science Arouses Interest
of Americans.

HOT SPRINGS. Ark. May s.-That
the United States Army is made up
largely Of men who have been accus-
toned to study their Job and get onto
1t" was the conclusion which Herbert
Putnam. librarian Of Congress. ex-
pressed at the biennial convention OF
the General Federation Of Women's
Clubs here Mr.. Putnam. who spoke a.
general director Of the American LII
brary Association War Service. bases
his finding on tho record of books
drawn and requested at the libraries in
camps and cantonments.
This is . war Of mechanism and ex-
act science he said. "It is q war Of
engineering. Of chemistry. Of physics.
of dynamics, Of hygiene, down to the
minutest values.
You might suppose this to concern
only tho officers. That would be your
mistake; branches of 1t may concern
even the privates, and II they don't
concern them as part Of their military
duties thsy fond to ,d them
learn all about the mechanism which
they are helping to operate. Such q
curiosity may not be characteristic Of
the ranks in the army of any other
acteristic Of the Army Of the United
StGtes
Two Phenomena Produced,
Apart from the novel mechanism
which 1t has brought into action, this
war has produced two phenomena-the
variety of the preparation deemed ne
elaborate provisions made for their
welfare. The service Of which I am to
speak Is a contribution to both-it is
the service Of books.
IF you visit one Of the largo train
ing camps today you will ind at the
building often 120 feet in length by 40
in width, with a Collection of 10000 or
5000 books, and accommodation for
nearly 200 readers. 1t is cheerful
building. well warmed, amply lighted.
well aired. The books are on open
shelves, directly accessible without
formality. They may be freely used
on the premises-freely taken else
where.
And IL you enter a 7. NJ. c. A. hut
or the Knights of Columbus building
you will see other shelves Of the same
| sort of books-subsidiary collections
| supplied from the central library. You
may even find such subsidiary collec-
lions in the mess halls or barracks.
You will shortly find them in the
base hospitals and tho convalescent
, houses.
Uniformed attendants are in evidence
among them, trained librarians. OF
readers there is never q lack, even
during the hours of military drill, and
,, the readers are officers as well as
privates.
Available at All Points.
Such a place and such privileges
are at every one of the thirty-two main
cantonments and at four additional
large training camps not SO classed.
There are more than 300 smaller posts
| already served, even as far as Porto
| Rico. Cuba. Haiti, Santo Domingo, the
| Virgin Islands. Canal Zone and Ha-
| the men at the Mexican border. at the
| great embarkation camp at Tenany.
| N. j., to numerous vessels of war and
i direct to transports.
Dispatch offices are shipping from
| 10000 to 10000 volumes a week spe-
| cifically destined for use overseas; in
| the five great naval bases maintained
merous training camps in England and
France and Immediately behind the
fighting line. These shipments are
! cargo shipments. Gen. Pershing de-
! manded space for them-ffty tons a
| month-nearly 100000 books a month.
1.-The mere upkeep Of the thirty-five
| widely scattered establishments at the
main camps-each-in itself an organic
| library with an outlying system in
volving equipment and delivery serv-
| ice-is formidable, and the amount.
| variety and cost Of the supplies neces-
sary quite staggering. Packing cases
! alone are costing us 500 a day."