The Marietta journal and courier., 1918-02-01
BIG ARMY NEEDED
FOR AIR SERVICE
FORTY TO FIFTY MEN REQUIRED
FOR EACH ACTIVE PLANE AT
The FIGHTING FRONT.
FIGURES by HOWARD COFFIN
Veterinary Corps and Remount serv-
lee Growing RaPidly-lnformatio
Abeut the Pay Received by Uncle
Sans Enlisted Men.


by Howard K. Coffin. chairman of the
aircraft production board, is the fol-
lowing:
"In discussing the accomplishments
Of the air service In the contamination
of the army program, 1t will be well to
point out the impossibility Of certain
proposals Enthusiastically and persist
entity put forward by word of mouth
and In the press. We have seen and
heard much of the proposed 100000
airDlanes to be provided by the United
States within the next year. In coun-
try where one great industry produces
100000 potorcsrs per year, the fab
rication of 100000 planes might seem
easy, but actual figures based upon
<hrse years of practical experience in
10 war shows that there are now be-
tween 40 and 90 men Of the auxiliary
services required for each active ma
tAine at the front II this same ratio
VAould be adhered to In cur service, 1t
would mean that some 100000 men
N0uld be required In our aerenautical
department on foreign soil between
Rpr ports Of debsrkation and the fight
Ih4 front.
"Mven though this number Of men
0cald be reduced by 30 per cent by In
creased efficiency and Standardization,
the number required is still stagger-
1pg. Consider, also, the overseas
4ssAAsf6ftatlofi problem as related to
0atSrIal only and without reference
10 personnel and its maintenance: The
transportation q finished planes, prop
srly Grated, with the necessary spares,
accessories, and equipment Is In itself
a serious problem, In view Of the situ-
alton in ship tonnage" ..s~..s"-
'gAsazR ~@'
When war was declared the strength
of the United States army in animals
was o6,145; 1t is now $4,000. The
remount service April consisted Of
one officer and four clerks in Washing
ton, i've remount depots where horses
were received, and a personnel and
purchasing organization In the field in
proportion. The veterinary corps, re-
sponsible for the treatment of animals,
consisted of "a officers and no enlisted
personnel when the United States en-
tered the war.
The veterinary corps faced the Job
of building an organization of about
1000 officers and 10000 men. The
1000 officers have been secured and
enlisted men are being transferred at
a rate which will soon bring it up to
its full authorized strength.
The remount service had a similar
task in securing personnel It's pres
ent strength is about 800 officers and
1900 enlisted men. In place of
plans had to be drawn, sites chosen,
and construction Of shelter, hospitals,
storage buildings and unloading ia
cilities IN short time.
- ghe greater proportion of deaths of
animals in the army results from infiu-
.enza, popularly known as shipping
fever" and its complications. British
losses on horses purchased In the
United States during the war have
been about 10 per cent, counting only
deaths occurring In this country.
French and Italian losses have been
~
The rank OF commissioned oficers OF
the United States army is shown by
insignia on the shoulder loops.
The shoulder loops OF general bear
the coat of arms of the United States
and two silver stars; lieutenant gen
eral, one large and two small silver
stars major general, two silver stars;
erigadier general, one silver star
colonel, silver spread-eagle; lieutenant,
colonel, silver leaf; major gold leaf
captain, two silver bars; first lieuten-
ant, one silver bar; second lieutenant,
gold bar.
The shoulder loop of a chaplain
bears a Latin cross.
A recent comparison of health re-
ports from troops in the United States
and the expeditionary forces shows the
admission rate to hospitals to be great
er among the men in France.
Admissions to hospitals in one week
In the expeditionary forces, figured on
a basis OF. 1000 men, were 45.2; In the
United States the rate was 1877 per
1000 men. In the overseas forces the
nonefrective rate (the total number Of
men excused from duty for any injury
or ailment, whether or not ordered to
hospitaD was 54.1 per 1000 men in
the troops in the United States 1t was
z64.
The sale Of "smilage" books, contain
ing coupons good for admission TO the
aters and entertainment tents in all
army camps and cantonments, is han
died In the smaller cities and towns
throughout the country by chautau-
qua and lyceum organizations.
The books come in two sizes, for sale
at 81 and IS. When sent 10 a man
In camp a smilsge book carries the
name Of the donor on the cover.