The Benson signal., 1918-06-22
ARTILLERY NEARLY J
ALL IS MOTORIZED
AMERICAN ARMY TO GO FURTHER
IN THIS RESPECT TITAN Has
ANY OTHER.
NOTIFYING OF cAsuALTl TIES

FJVW VIE war OcPaTp3CIl& }UJOFyDS
Relatives Of Killed and Wounded
Sodjcrs-Radio and Buzzer Opera
ton Taught In 600 Schools.
kFFo,a Committee on Public Information) J
Observation-Disclosures of field
artiiery will be carried to a greater
extent in the American army than in
any other army engaged in the war.
Not only will a far greater amount of
motor equipment be provided In pro-
portion to the strength Of the army,
but it will be used for work where
armies now In the field depend solely
upon horse power and man power.
The ordnance department has suc-
ceeded in developing such types OF
tractors that, exclusive Of the heaviest
field artillery mounted on railroad car
riages, all American artillery will be
motorized, with the exception Of some
OF the three-inch gun batteries. The
problem of motoriZation OF field artil-
lery is y difficult one which explains
why it has not been carried out to a
greater extent than has been the case
with the armies that have been fight
ing In Europe for the last three years.
The possible output of tractors for
the transport of field artillery In the
United States Is practically unlimited,
whereas the supply Of horses is at
present limited and is becoming more
SO each month.
Relatives. Of soldiers named in cas-
salty Itzts forwarded from France or
aInaHiy are notified within "a hours
aftet receipt OF the lists. according to
q stAt4ineat authorized by the war de-
part4nept. AZ statistical DIVISION"
tstth staff OF officers and a corps of
photographers. gives all it's time to
the maintenance Of files of soldiers
Lf:imeS and addresses. This division
pofities relatives.
a copy Of the roster of each cOntin-
gent sailing to join the expeditionary
forces is filed in card index fashion,
each card bearing the name of one SOL
dier, his organization, and the name
and address of parent or other relative
or friend designated by him to be noti-
fled in emergency. When casualty
list is received from General Pershing
each name cabled from the American
expeditionary force Is listed with the
emergency address on file In the card
index AS rapidly as the new list with
emergency addresses is built up the
~ oIo
clerks already are supplied with blank
telegrams which require only the rela-
tive's address, name of sender. nature
Of casualty and the date, and filling in
the blank spaces they get the tele-
grams off as quickly as possible. In
addition to maintaining the telegraph
Blanks for the sake of speed the statis-
fical division is supplied with sets of
form letters to be filed In and mailed
when further details are available.
While relatives are generally In re-
ceipt of information within "a hours
after the cables are received, delays
are sometimes due to clerical errors
caused by the fact that names must
pass through so many hands In France
and in America, incorrect emergency
addresses turned in by soldiers, re-
m0yal Of families to addresses other
than those listed, and the occasional
necessity for cabling back to General
Pershing to verify name or to obtain
an address.
Aside from these four causes Of de-
lay the only reason for the failure of
relatives to receive word at once Is
military consideration. General Perish
ing may, at his discretion, withhold a
casualty list until he is positive
It will have no military value to the
enemy.
Through the operation Of repair
shops for clothing and other articles,
d considerable saving in reissue Of new
equipment has been made at army
camps. One camp quartermaster esti-
mates the Issue of new clothing has
decreased one-third, and of shoes 40
per cent.
AT base repair shop for clothing
m average of 1881 garments were re-
paired daily during the first 18 days Of
May. In addition to the work done at
base repair shops, many thousands of
garments are repaired ut camp shops,
one shop being located at each large
camp.
During April nearly 10000 pairs of
shoes were repaired In army repair
shops. At present practically all hat
repairing is done by contract. the
price varying from 80 to 90 cents per
hat.
Fhls work Is in charge of the conser-
vation and reclamation division of the
auartermaster corps, which has been
IN operation only during the last four
months.
The food administration Is making a
careful survey of the national ice stu
alton in order that it may be prepared
fO meet any sudden shortages In par