Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-06-29

/
trenches it was found that the brims
OF their campaign hats interfered with
sighting through trench perisc0pes and
| that in the cases of tall men the high
crowns could be seen above the para
pets. The new cap is SO low that 1t
permits the men to move with prac-
tically the same freedom as when they
are hatless. The trench helmet can
be worn over it.
Only soldiers who have been with
the expeditionary forces wear the cap.
According to reports from France new
regulations provide that officers shall
wear their insignia of rank on the cap,
and enlisted men place on it the button
prescribed to be worn on the left side
of the collar of the service coat.
The tot:: cost for National army
environments was $40, 726,473 accord
ing to statement by the war depart
ment. The National Guard camps
cost $3S.375.272.
Emergency work to provide for SOL
dfers in this country and to provide
buildings for the manufacture and
storage of army supplies both here and
abroad undertaken by the construction
division of the army. which has been
executed or Is under way and In pros
pect up to June !. will cost about ST.
17O619.OOO. This total Is exclusive Of
three operations costing $1O6.OOO. 900.
under the direct control of the ord
nance department.
Up to June l the construction divi-
sion had completed So jobs, at a total
cost Of 500, 25O,00O. It has PA opera
lions under way, which. when finished,
will cost about $27O, 100000. Prepare
tons are being made to start work on
III new operations which are expected
to cost $7OO.OOO,OOO.
Two out of every 1000 men in the
army have to have their shoes made to
order. In several camps entire regi-
ments have had their feet measured,
and hundreds of drawings were made
of odd shapes and sizes. At the pres
ent time the army uses between 2,O0O,-
600 and 100000 pairs of shoes a
month.
Facts brought out in tests seem to
prove that men in the present army
are larger than those serving in previ-
Gus wars. Not only is this shown by
the larger sizes of shoes called for. but
by the larger sizes of outer clothing
that is being required. Records in the
Quartermaster corps show that a size
larger, on the average, is being de-
manded in blouses, shirts and breeches
than have ever before been used.
As a result of the studies at the
front, methods have been developed
whereby more than 80 per cent of the
wounded, who originally remained at
the military hospitals for months, are
now cured and returned to the forces
in three or four weeks. In order that
army surgeons stationed at camps,
environments, and other military hos
pitfalls in this country may thoroughly
understand the latest treatment of war
wounds. the army medical department
has had established special classes of
instruction to which are sent selected
officers who, upon completion of their
courses, return to their own hospitals
and instruct other surgeons in these
methods.
"Duty to ones country does not end
on the parade ground, nor even on the
battlefield, but consists in doing every
thing in ones power to help win the.
war;" says an order issued by General
Pershing, copy of which has been re-
ceived by the war department
ITO write home frequently and reg
ularly TO keep in constant touch with
family and friends is one of the sol.
dier's most important duties. Mothers
and fathers will suffer if they do not |
hear often from sons fighting in
France. In the present large COM
panies it is not possible for officers to |
write letters for their men, and every
man must do it for himself"
Applicants for commissions as first |
lieutenantS in the engineer corps, &C
cording to statement by the war de-
partment, should be between thirty.
two and thirty-six years of age and for
as captains between thir-
ty-six and f0rty-tw0. The engineer !
corps is conducting campaign for
1000 more commissioned officers, the
examining board making a tour of the
principal cities of the country to make
readily available for ap-
plicants.
The $12O,OO0OOO allotted for the
plants is expected to give the govern
ment smokeless powder production
equal to all other American
plants combined. In construction of
the plants it was found necessary tC
build new town on each site to house
the employees, and approximately
1000 different buildings were erected
Streets were put down and severed.
power plants constructed, and stores
and hospitals built. Approximately
30 900 men worked on construction
and about 10000 will eventually b.
engaged In the actual production OF
powder.
Thousands o. women are employed
n the United States gas-mask plant
They are acting as inspectors and arr