Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-01-23
/ news Notes FROM E..
CAMP DODGE
Interesting Information From the
Place Where Our Boys
Are Training.

Division Headquarters, Camp Dodge.
Iowa. Jan. 2l.-Are the soldiers Of Camp
Dodge being mollycoddled?
Many of their commanding officers,
stern men of the regular army who have
sea and the South Pacific. believe they
are. They haven't been used to the
feminine touch around barracks and
mess shacks.
Moines and hundreds more in the cities
and towns from whence came the Dodge
men who Indignantly stand by the con-
trary. And they stand indignantly be-
cause the commanders slap at them
when they suggest such thing.
The women are the company mothers
of Camp Dodge; There Is one to every
ed their appointments from Mrs. Zoe
Pearl Park of Des Moines. originator of
the movement and brigadier general Of
the camp They ear
&C. NJ" sewed thereon.
Their mission is to minister to the
soldiers as the soldiers mothers would
company barracks twice each week and
patch and mend and sew for their
boys They call upon the sick and
osheT d 5e cs to them whether in bar,
racks or in the hospital. They listen to
the soldiers troubles, help him If they
can and comfort him when its homesick-
the boys to their homes and entertain
them. They help them with their laun-
dry. They even help the cooks get a
bo%s And io% When the sf folks at home are
a little careless about writing they drop
them a line to jog their memories.
Mother" oftimes attends mess with the
boys and there is a little party.
"Rnt that's not the wav to make a
soldier" say the commanding officers.
SOLDIERS are made by roughing it.. To
coddle them is to destroy discipline al and
Many of the men resent the idea. They
like to think they are big enough to look
out for themselves without having to
do get away from the home state or the
them. they'll have to care for them
selves then, learn to sew. and patch and
at the front, unless the Red Cross can
find ships without something to carry
across. Why not make soldiers of them
now?"
To which the company mothers indig-
nantly reply: These men have come
from homes where they have had a
mothers care. They have not Joined the
theirr country called: it is because they
are recruits that their development into
soldiers should be made as easy and
home e0t comforts that count. It improves
discipline rather than destroys 1t be-
cause it improves the spirit and thus
the morale. And If for no other reason,
many to sacrifice their lives that the
rest of us may continue in our freedom.
They are entitled to every comfort and
consideration they can be given or get
before they start on their 5000 mile sea
Cod knows what it will be over
there"
And so it goes on The company moth
ers stand their ground while the COM
manding officers frown. The mothers
never seem to be out Of something to do
SO Of the f aaxt to
breaks forth with a statement In the
newspapers, declaring the boys are be-
ing mollycoddled into soldiers inferior
can is capable. And the company moth
err comes back with her defense.
And who knows, now, who is right?
Interest is again manifested in the
to start for France. When war broke
and the draft was started on its way
with registration, the plan was to call
the first army in rs septe,mber and send gp
ing camps Immediately.
But the time now approaches when
there And not all the first army has
been summoned to the cantonment. The
indications now are that the remaining
Tg gn Of fna 5 of Mafea r %
start training the time they were tc
have finished their course here, and
probably to have been near the firing
lines in France, getting the finishing
touches.
Now, with sixteen weeks of intensive
training to start after arrival, indica
tions are they will not complete 1t unit
n f1aIy Cfo RI "
here, six months, unless Hindenbure
breaks thru on the west front. Their
they might go any time.
patter of machine gun and the crack
crack. crack of musketry resounded fo1
the first time together over the rife
range at Camp Dodge this week: NJ,
three-inch guns, American made bu
mighty like the French ISIS, dropped
| more than hundred shells three miles
cry men who were demonstrating actua
firing to the scores of artillery com
manders who came from training
schools. Firing will be on regula:
have finished their instruction, they viii
| in turn teach the men. Infantry riff
| practice is held daily now.
And with the beginning of artiller!
/ fire and more intensive work, division
| commanders placed a. ban against pho
| tographers of all kinds. No soldiers o
| civilians will be permitted to take pic
| lures anywhere on the military reserva
| ton.
The old Montana Peak service hat
the broad brimmed "skypiece" so famil
lar to civilians, is passing at Cam
Dodge. Khaki winter caps have arrive
now that winter is half over and hav
been issued to the men. They resembl
the hunting cap. They are made wit
flaps that tie under the chin and forr
a helmet.
Many exemption boards turnout tn
four states of the thirteenth distric
Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin
have been subjected to Investigation b
Brig. Gen. Getty for serious violation Q
exemption rules. Investigation by meC
ical officers has disclosed that fro1
many counties boards have sent
Camp Dodge imbeciles, idiots, men wit
curvature of the spine, heart trouble
plainly discernible forms, bad eyes an
practically toothless. Furthermore the
have sent men with dependents at HON
who are in sore need.
Four medicar Officers were dispatche
to North Dakota towns to make invest
cation since the majority of the case
came from that state. They will M
only Investigate the methods of dra1
boards but give such instruction as wi
prevent repetition.
AS further protection Of the me
| against disease, and for the protecti0
Of the women themselves. Major c..