Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-19
BY r. c. SNEDBEY.
CFormer Secretary Local Y. NJ. C.

iE OTmeT secretary Local I. Nj. -.
Al
Camp Hancock, Augusta. Ga,
March 16-Life in Camp Hancock
is largely matter OF parades and
reviews these days. We have en-
tertained some distinguished Wis
itors, for whom we have staged IN
usual exhibitions, and we are hav-
ing frequent inspections and pa
rades in addition. apparently as a
part of the intensive finish TO the
training which is given the men.
Secretary Lansing was here last
week. spending few days in the
effort TO get some rest / hope ne
found the rest, but / am sure that
he got plenty of fresh air and ex-
ercise while watching the exhibit
tons put on in his honor. We civ
iIiaus were glad to have him here,
because his presence gave US a
chance to see some things that We
might otherwise have missed.
One day last week, the secre
tary was taken to the artillery
range, which is located in a beau
tiful hill country about eight miles
from camp, and here he was shown
our artillery in action. We have
some pretty fair guns, running up
to about fOur-inch pieces. and we
do have some good gunners. They
burnt up several tons Of perfectly
good powder in showing off to Mr..
Lansing, but it was fine practice,
too, and so was not wasted.
a spectacular exhibition was
given when an old shack standing
far out in a field was selected as
a target, and was quickly demol-
ished by fire from the guns at
distance Of a mile or more. Then
q barrage fire was laid down at
a distance of three miles to show
just what a barrage is and can do
Most of the spectators were under
the barrage. That is, they were
located in front of the guns, so
that the shells went over their
heads, landing on the line a couple
OF miles away. One shell exploded
prematurely. and you should have
seen the scattering of the people
when they saw the bursting mis-
sile only a few hundred yards from
them. No one was hurt, however,
but all were impressed with the
deadly accuracy and effectiveness
of the fire.
Another day, an exhibition Of
trench and bayOnet work was given
for the entertainment of the secre-
tary. 1t was beautiful spring aft
ernoon, with blue sky and bright
sunshine and just enough breeze
to keep it from being hot. Sew
eral thousand civilians, besides the
soldiers and the distinguished
guests, were arranged on the walls
of the old dry reservoir, which has
been made into a great bayoneI
course, to see the sight. Three or
four platoons OF highly trained SOL
diers gave the bayOnet work. They
were first put through the various
figures used in training, with
fencing and parrying and charging
at short range. Always, when they
go at each other with the bayonets,
they are drilled to make the most
horrible faces and snarI and yell
dreadfully, the idea being to show
the Germans some American made
''frightfulness." To hear a squad
at bayOnet practice sounds more
ike a dog nSht Lhan anything else
l know.
The spectacular part OF the show
was when the men went into the
trenches. which are constructed eX-
actly like the trenches which they
viii occupy cover there" Under
the command of a British officer
who has charge of the training,
the men went "over the top" with
a yell, charged the first line Of en-
envy defenses and took it without
hesitation, speared three successive
lines of dummies representing
"boches," and captured the very
last line OF trenches. Having won
this victory by successive waves OF
charges. they took their places in
the captured entertainments and