The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-02-26

PIenteous and SubstantiaI-Barrac
and Huts Are Always Kept Warm
Rail Presidents Sun a Chauffeur.
(By 4 Californian With the American
Forces In France.)
My Dear -.
You will note by the above that my
address is changed. 1 am now a can
didate. l am a candidate for a COM
mission. 1t was very unexpected
particularly on my part. AS near as
/ can figure out, it was decided to or
ganize a training camp over here on
the lines of those in the states and
give the fellows who enlisted early or
who were in the original army a
chance. All the regiments over here
were invited to send a certain quota
and l was one of five from my regi-
ment We train three months, accord
ing to program, under more or less
actual war conditions, and, if we pass
at the end Of that time, get shoulder
straps. l only got here yesterday. I
am a private entirely surrounded by
military talent A sort of an island.
There is only one other private In the
school,
There are men here who were In
the training camps in the states and
quit to get over here quick, men who
chased Pancho Villa in Mexico, men
who have been in the trenches and
explored No Mans Land, and SER
geants, top sergeants and sergeant
majors who have been in the regular
army for years. But there is no one
over thirty-two. l am closer to the
front than 1 was before, by a good
many miles-so close that it is begin
ming to look blamed businesslike.
/ was talking to one of the fellows
who was in the trenches this morn
ing. They don't go into details, but
say that it isn't so uncomfortable.
They are firm in the, belief that when
going. In the quiet sector they were
In, they say, the principal aim of both
sides seemed to be to keep the peace.
A French sentry told one of them
eff you see a German, don't shoot;
you'll only start trouble.'' "Hell," said
the American, that's what. we're here
for" The men live fairly comfortably
In the dugouts, he said. In one that
he was in there were Three or four
rooms, an electric light plant and even
piano.
r. Best-cIothed Army.
This camp is located at which think
was an old French armory. we are
quartered in a sturdy stone building
three stories high. No electric lights
bum ventilation. 1t isivery cold. Snow
on the ground and in the morning ice
which doesn't always melt during the
day. But it is invigorating. Which
causes me to remark that the American
army must be the best clothed in the
field. This was impressed upon me |
particularly when l packed up. In the |
line of clothes here is what l was sup !
posed to put into a dinny bag, a suit
case and on my back. Two suits olive |
drab, one overall suit, including denim |
hat, two campaign hats, three pairs |
leggings, overcoat, eight suits of IN
derwear, ten pairs Of socks, three
blankets half shelter and ponchO, three |
pairs shoes, four wooden shirts, one
pair knit gloves, one pair leather
gloves, five towels, one sweater. This
doesn't include ordnance incidentals
and toilet articles. / turned in, before
/ left my company, pair of bip rub
Der boots and suit of fisherman's
oilskins for rain and mud Some of
the fellows holler about the issue of
colthes, but l never had as many in
civil life
The same applies to the eats. AL
though army fare lacks the delicacy
and choice of a civilian feed, it is
plenteous and substantial. The Amer
lean soldier will fare better this win
ter than the average French person,
military or otherwise. There are no
'1ess' days in the American army. We
actually eat meat on Mondays and
Tuesdays and have all the bread we
can go all the time, while the French
are always confronted with meatless,
potatoless, chocoiateless, candyless
days. The usual army breakfast con-
sists of bacon, potatoes, gravy, bread
and coffee. The feature of the other
meals frequently is stew-which is
good when you're hungry-beans, ETC.,
and there is usually a dessert. And
take coal and wood, for instance.
There always is fire in American bar
racks and huts. At N.Y. last station
they were laying in the winter supply
for base hospital. There was a pile
as big as a European mountain and
the peasants used to come from neigh
boring villages just to look at it. To
the French, coal is issued, like bread
by card, and they tell me it takes
trouble, time and pull to get a ton
month for family. But the French
man is the true philosopher. He new
er worries. He blows on his hands,
swings his arms, remarks "We shall
be cold this winter" and dismisses the
subject as an inevitable proposition