The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-09
CAMP COMMENT
BY sERGT. GEO. c. ADRIANcE.


There is to be no discrimination
against soldiers in the army of the
United States who do not speak the
English language. In view of the
fact that the national army is drawn
from the population, a man here and
a man there, it is easily understood
that there must be very. consider
able number who have not learned to
speak English. This is of course par
ticularly true in the draft from cities
where immigrants tend to live to
themselves and follow the language
and customs of tffe land of their ma
tivity. The war department hears that
there is some discomfort on the part
of those soldiers on the ground that
they are allotted mental tasks and irn-
prisoned unjustly for offenses aris-
ing from their inability to understand
orders. The secretary OF war directs
that action be taken to correct such
conditions wherever they may exist.
These foreign-born soldiers who are
giving everything to the fosser-coun-
try, after the war we are to know as
high class Americans. This recreation
of Americans will probably be one of
the great blessings that America Is to
gain in winning the war Germans,
S1avs, Greeks. Polaks, Italians and on
thru the gamut of our polygot people
the same cannot share mutual
hardships without arriving at some
thing of common loyalty No soldier
of the Civil war is more Jealous In
the cause of worldwide liberty than
those of foreign blood who batt1ed for
the Stars and Stripes. Hundreds of
foreign born soldiers have already
gone from Camp Funston in the name
of our ideals Many of them are now
in France. Altho we do not know of
an instance where the war depart
ment's admonition applies to this
camp the order may serve to make
us think of our duty to help soldiers
whose training is the more arduous
because of strange language.
Congratulations proceeding over seas
may take with them merchandise for
post exchange purposes, including
only articles such as cigarettes, to-
bacco, cigars, candies, limited toilet
articles and reading material, not ex-
ceeding three pounds per man The
foregoing authorization does not apply
to articles of furniture, musical in
struments or apparatus of any kind"
BY order of the Secretary of War.
The bows have not been waiting I'M
til they arrive in France to begin col
lecting souvenirs. They begin with
the troop ships AYERS the war depart
ment. Some apparently have a strange
notion as to what constitutes an ap-
propriate souvenir. The department
says some of the line L nd bedding has
been taken from orr transport. likely
with a view to for~1i1~ collection of
war relics. Commanding officers of
troops are asked to confine the Yanks'
quest for curios to door knobs from
| the imperial Potsdam palace and the
upturned mustac hios of its strange
war lord Those mustachios are a
souvenir worth while.
Several new correspondents are to
be added to the staff of Trench and
Camp in accordance with the recon-
mendation of a headquarters bulletin
| that each regiment separate organ
| ization at Camp Funston contribute
timely items to Trench and Camp
Among these is Private Samuel Sos
| land of the Q. NJ. department, Kan
sas City newspaper man of experience.
Information comes that the Camp
Funston edition of Trench and Camp
ranks with the best of the papers