The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-08-01

that We had been assigned to labor
atory and research work.
Yesterday WE reported for work.
We are at the Bureau of Standards.
right in where some Of the biggest
men of the country are working. l,
along with three others, was assigned
strictly to battery testing. They are
just fixing the place up so l will get
a chance to get it right from the
start. 1t is going to be the only place
for testing out the batteries used by
the Signal Corps and whenever a new
kind of storage battery is made it
will be sent there to be tested before
the Signal Corps accepts 1t. We will
run all kinds of tests on them and
make out reports on the tests and
they take these reports and judge the
battery. When the plant is completed
we will have a capacity for testing a
good many different kinds Of batteries
at the same time. The plant is in
the basement Of n of the small
buildings. | don't know how l ever
happened to get assigned to this work,
of course my commission is knocked
in the head by being transferred, but
it sure is an important high up job
and in storage battery work where
| will have an unlimited chance to
learn storage batteries to a very fine
degree. The Bureau of Standards
consists of about eight mammoth
buildings and a fence around them
and in%fantrymen guarding them day
and night. Nobody can get inside the
fence even on special business; they
have to have a pass signed by n Of
the commanding officers. l got my
permanent pass today and it is good
any place in the building or outside
gate. 1t reads like this: "Staff Pass
No.. Donald B. Saum a member
of the Bureau of Standards Staff, etc.
is permitted to go or leave at ny
time"
| stay with three other fellows at
a private house and we have the third
floor all to ourselves, three rooms and
bath. We get it for $50 a month and
that is very cheap for Washington.
The place is about two miles from
Bureau of Standards, but there is
trolley cars SO that isn't bad and it
is out in the country, and very pretty
around it, in a swell part of the city
1t is an Episcopalian minister's house
where we stay.
We 90 to work at 900 o'clock in
the morning, have half an hour off
at noon and work until 4:30 p. m. |
guess those hours can't be beat even
at the bank. We may run night shifts
after we get started but if we do we
won't work over Z hours out of the
"a hours any way. So you see / have
it very easy and a chance to learn
storage batteries from inside informa-
ton. But one thing of course it don't
seem like a soldiers life and that Is
what | wanted. But of course you
have to stay where they put you so
it isn't my fault if l don't go across
as soon as | would If I was assigned
to a field battalion. Probably if |
make good at this work | may be kept
here for a long while. but no one
knows. 1t sure don't seem much like
fighting, working at anything like this,
but you cant do anything but stay,
that's all. The only way that you
would know o was in the army is by
your uniform, but I believe l am go
ing to like the work and it Will be
experience that will help me make a
living when | get back to civilian
life. One thing though, | have had a
training in the regular Signal Corps
field service, sc | will always be glad
of that life and experience. Now
maybe / will get caught up with sleep.
Ever since | left home | have been
getting up at 5:45 a. m. and believe
me now / will sleep. This work is all
confidential and of course I don't sup
pose, in fact | won't be able to write
anything particular about 1t.
Instead of $50 a month now l get
$1,000, so that helps a little. will
try and write again 500 so good
night. Gee whiz! but a good bed
seems fine once again and no more
mess kits to wash and no more flies
and things. With love,
Donald B. Saum.
Chevy Chase, Md.
Care Rev. j. w. Austin.
w. s. S.
Save the waste and win the war.