The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-12-12
NeUSoQnd VieWs
OfCamp Dodge
CdnfOnmenl

Camp Dodge, Iowa, Nov. 26, 1915
Military experts are devoting thell
energies in devising plans for the de
mobilization of the great army thai
! has been transported across the seas
as well as the hundreds of thousands
: of men in training camps in this
: country.
Gov. W. L. Harding made it clear
to the authorities in Washington that
the west was going to insist upon the
soldiers from this section being dis
! banded from points that contributed
them. He pointed out to the war de-
partment while in Washington re-
Gently that if the armies are disband,
ed the east great labor centers would
make a strong bid for their services
and that would disturb the labor equi,
| librium of the nation and work a seri,
! Gus hardship to the farming and man,
ufacturing interests of the middle
west.
Other governors Joined Iowa's gov
ernor in this demand and this has LED
General March to announce that army
divisions upon return from overseas
will be sent to the cantonments from
which they came for rehabilitation.
This means that the 8Sth division
composed largely of men from Illinois
Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa
will be brought to Camp Dodge and
discharged here.
This is doubtless the cause for the
completion of all unfinished improve
ments and enlargements. Workmen
are going right ahead finishing the
new barracks and it is now certain
that the next year will Witness Mill
tary activities at this camp upop "a
large scale.
The rules for rehabilitation 5n
home camps will clean out many of
the thirty-two cantonments in the
United States before Camp Dodge is
materially affected, if the order an
nounced by General March isFadhered
to. ~. d,
There is a development abattalion
at Camp Dodge which it is presumed
will be broken up and sent home al
most Immediately. There are also a
few conscientious objectors serving
in various capacities, most at the re-
mount station. who probably will go
soon. After these have departed
there is no unit at the cantonment
which will be touched until the sew
enth in order, depot brigades, is
reached. When all the men in depot
brigades have been sent home replace
ment units will come next.
DemobiliZation of these units will
clean out such camps as Grant, Ill.
Pike, Ark; and Taylor, KY, before
the main force at Camp Dodge will be
touched. Combat divisions, such as
the Nineteenth, will be the last outfits
mustered out.
The fighting Rainbow division will
be returned intact that the people of
the nation may be permitted to greet
it with enthusiastic acclaim, because
Of it's wonderful record in active
service.
A statement from Washington says
that the old fighting Third Iowa,
famous unit of the famous Rainbow
division in France, probably will be
among the early units returned, will
be given particular honor earned by
it's fine fighting record, and probably
will be mustered out of the federal
service at Camp Dodge.
All activities are being carried out
as though the 18th division was ex-
pecting to see active service. Instruc-
tors from both the French and English
armies are giving daily drills upon
trench warfare and thousands of men
are taking daily target practice with
all kinds of fighting equipment.
Presentation of Distinguished Service
Medal
A medal has been awarded by the
war department to Sgt. John Garner,
an instructor at Camp Dodge.
Brig. Gen. B. T. Simmons, comman-
der at the camp, has been designated
by the war department to decorate the
returned soldier with the medal.
In the sanguinary fighting north of
Clemery on the lorraine front last
August Sgt. Garner, although badly
wounded in the face and arm by ma
chine gun bullets, went to the aid of
Lieut.. Lewis Wood, who was lying
wounded 100 meters within the Ger
man barbed wire ertanglement.
To rescue the lieutenant, it was nee
essary for Garner to drag him across
the wire ENHANCEMENT and cross an
open field for 500 meters under, heavy
bombardment. After he had brought
the officer into safety the men dis
covered that they had been boyhood
friends at Cedartown, Va.
Punishment for Breaches of Discipline
Civil authorities throughout Iowa
and neighboring states have been no.
titled by the military authorities at
Camp Dodge to arrest Rudolph T. Ver
Mehren, of Omaha, under twenty year
sentence in the disciplinary barracks
at Ft. Leavenworth, who escaped from
his guard while being taken to supper
Yer Mehren was convicted of deser.
ton and given a thirty-year sentence
by the court. The term of imprison-
ment was reduced to twenty years by
the reviewing authority.
According to the charges Yer Meh.
rem deserted March 80 and was moi
apprehended until his arrest in hote,
in Des Moines September 8 by the
military police. ....
Private J. L. Thompson, member
of the Depot Brigade at Camp Dodge
has been sentenced to two months
confinement in the guard house anc
forfeiture of two-thirds of his pay fol
a like period on charges of stealing
a f-I1 D.