The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1912-1921, 1918-09-18

| TIRE men PICK up a rev. HSntlug eSS Ell
tials-guns, blankets. -. emergency ra-
tions-and leave fthe rest behind,
books, extra clothes, shoes, etc. The
men arrive from America with an UNI
due amount of clothing; it is trim
med down at the first training camp;
again it is trimmed down as they go
to the front, and each new trimmer
of thousands of men means another
huge stock for salvage.
In the main building, quarter of
mile long, There was the roar of a
vast and diversified industry, with
over 1000 women workers ; and a
thousand men, with long batteries of
sewing machines, shoe machines, rub
Il der and harness machines such as
one sees in the great factory dis
tricts; with the same huge installation
o. engines, boilers, disinfecing plants,
laundries; and the whir of big metal
machines for making over the many
UIduCueS OIL Ordinance.
Hundreds of women were sorting
the uniforms and underclothing just
come from the salvage processes.
There were some 100000 blouses, on
these towering shelves, and as many
more of all the other articles of SOL
der wear. They were in bundles,
looking very fresh and clean, quite
like the stock of we'll equipped
clothing establishment. The women
were arranging the garments in three
classes: e.
Glass A-Garments in good order,
practically the same as new, to be
Isent back to the front as part of the
supply for fighting troops
Class B-Garments partly worn out
but fully repaired, to- be sent to the
base ports ON the coast, for labor
troops and stevedores.
Glass C-iGarments much worn but
in a fair state of preservation, to be
sent to prison camps for German
prisoners.
This was significant of what the
German prisoners were getting; not
the best, to be sure, and not the same
goods as our own men, but worn goods
in fair state of preservation 1t
seemed to be an answer to the out
cry that the German prisoners were
getting the same as our men.
One could follow the stages of the
huge stacks of hGb-nail army shoes
from the time they arrived, covered
with the mud and CRIME of the tren.
dhes and the battlefield, through pro.
cess after process of disinfection
cleaning, repairing, grading, until
they finally emerged in stocks of
substantial footwear Like the gar
ments, these were classed to go back
Ito the fighting troops, or to the steve
| dores, or to the German prisoners.
1T was the same with the infinite
variety OF army equipment going
through the salvage process, rubber
boots and artics, shelter tents, har.
ness for artillery, saddles, brides
stirrups. All of it was ON a prodigi
Gus scale, $4,000 garments day:
1000 pairs of rubber boots a day al
the army price of $2.65 a pair The
salvage of all kinds OF rubber articles
was SO per cent, or almost a com
pete saving of everything received
More than million dollars worth
Of clothing was saved last month
and the magnitude of the work as a
whole can be judged from these
hgures of the output: Shoes 1925.
100; clothing, $1,3O7 ops; harness and
leather, S57 1000; rubber, 100000; can
vass and webbing, 49,, 900.
There are some curious things
gAhered UP in this litter of the
camps and battlefelds; for example
three fireless cookers. Enough books
e'Hu hidSHHMleS are lert behind to
stock several libraries. Pictures and
knlcknacks with which the tents are
decorated before the rush comes. are
abundant. Family pictures and be
ionglngs of personal character are
carefully preserved in little bags to
be returned to their owner or his
family if that is possible.
\ Besides restoring articles for use,
! every scrap of wool cloth, leather
metal, hat bands, is saved to be turn.
ed INTO some other form OF useful
article, or is sold The sale of iunk
TN cans and scraps last month netted
1S,400 francs.
The Womer workers are chiefly
French and Belgian, many of them
refugees from the invaded districts
SO that the work has this further
useful end for some 1000 women.