The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-06

tatoes, gravy. bread and coffee. The
feature of the other meals frequent
" is stew-which Is good whom you're
hungry-beans etc. and there is
usually a dessert, And take coal and
wood, for instance. There always is
a fire in American barracks ard
huts. AT my last station they were
laying in tho winter supply for q
base hospital. There was a pile as
big "a European mountain and the
peasants used 70 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
ia kes trouble. time and pull to get
a ton a month for q family But the
Frenchman IS the true philosopher,
lie never worries. He hInws on his
hands, swings his arms, remarks
we shall be cold this winter" and
dismisses the subject as an inevitable
proposition and therefore no ut sub
2ct for thought or commiseraGon.
Ny present station and it's environs
seem 70 he the center ~ q district
devoted entirely to the accumulation
of knowledge, to Americans. In the
nearby town fhere are moro captains,
majors Heutenant-col and colo
uels than / have ever seen before.
They too. are going Ga school
learning war AZ it ia now fought.
Every officer. apparently. no matter
~ hat his rank, has got a lot 10 learn
before Ne starts here and has got to
go to school They have French in
Structors. as does this school-mcu
fresh from the trenches. with all the
ia lest wrinkles / don't know whether
they grab hayonets and make howl
ing dive over the theoretical top. but
= MI,
going to do. Right now the school
is devoting a lot Of time 20 digging
the aforesaid trenches The trench
plan of p famous battle is being re-
produced, I am told.
was a little skeptical about COM
ing UP here with my modest store Of
military knowledge, but my captain
said he thought l would make good
and here / am. The United states
needs all the talent 1t can get, he
said. and declared that the roof was
going 10 be the limit on the possihni-
ties of advancement for men with the
Wight stuff I never was very ambi-
tious, personally. and hadn't thought
much about commission personally.
Anyhow, az an humble private such q
possibility seemed as remote as Ber-
lin And yet here l am with a fight
ing CnAnCe lOF one ~ sure ~ 1 FANtttt~
ton for the intimation of hopeless
ness frequently expressed that man
in the ranks hasn't a chance,
Had to adjourn here to stand in
spection Of field equipment and at
tend IA brief lecture by the major in
charge of the school, 1t is dark now.
The major announced that discipline
would be as strict here as possible,
that there would be required two
hours OF study each evening; that
commissions were going to be granted
over here only to the graduates of
such schools as these, except to men
who displayed conspicuous bravery in
battle. Also, ne said, this was the
pick of the army and undoubtedly the
finest bunch of men in France.
Whereupon / was duly gratihed
met Andy Berg. who used to work
with me in San Francisco, couple
of days ago. He left the coast be-
fore | did, visited his home and en-
listed in Massachusetts. He is with
what is called a Typographical engi-
neerinG company, which is going to
set up a printing plant, from linotype
machines to presses, for the printing
OF maps, orders. etc. Some stunt!
| was kind Of sorry to leave the
old bunch. The last one of the bunch
saw before leaving was Frank CAL
win, son OF the president of the Union
Pacific. He Is rated as WAGNER
and Is acting as chauffeur for Ma
jCr Williams, who used to be a con-
struction engineer on his pas rail.
road, His corporal used to be q sec
ton boss on the same line.