Evening star., 1918-05-17
COLONEL WATCHFUL
IN CARE OF MEN
American Soldiers Kept in
Readiness for Emergency
as Battle Is Near.
SHOES MUST BE RIGHT
BY HERBERT COREY.

BY HERBERT COREY.
JUST BEHIND THE SoMME
FRONT. April 14.-This morning
rode around the companies of our
regiment with the colonel. It was his
daily tour Of inspection, but 1t was
eye opening for me. It is a big job
to see to the well being Of almost
1000 men.
I'VE must look out for them," he
said. because they do not look out
for themselves"
The colonel was interested in feet.
At any day now-literaIly at any
hour-the word may come to pack I'D
and hike. The men must then march
fifteen to twenty-five miles per day
under pack which. even when strip
ped down to the barest necessities,
will weigh fifty pounds. II their
shoes are not well fitting they can
not do 1t with comfort.
Have you received your shoes?" he
asked Of company commanders. DO
they fit?"
Drew Shoes to Fit.
There have been cases Of companv
commanders getting $50 pairs of No
~ shoes to mt ESQ pairs OF diversified
human feet Nothing of that sort was
round on this tour. The shoes had
been shipped in graduated sizes and
the company officers had seen to it
that the men drew shoes to fit, In
civil life that does not happen No
MIN to the shoe store. unless hts wife
happens to prefer a bulldog last when
his own fancy lightly turns to the
toothptck variety. But in civil life
the buyer Of the shoes is the only
one to suffer II the shoes do not fit.
In the army misfit shoes may inter
fere with an army's plans.
some. men draw shoes which are
too large. Then they slip around in
them and win blisters. Others draw
bend under a flfty-pound pack. their
feet pull forward and their toes stub
against the end of the shoe The shoe
must be just right to be properly
wearable. The socks must be just
right. too. and without holes and nei-
colonel has no time to attend to these
details, but he has time in which to
attend to his company officers II they
do not. The men OF this regiment are
well shod and socked.
Colonel at His Work.
The colonel is an old regular. He
has served in the Philippines and
Alaska and all over the United States
map. The lieutenant colonel is an
other of the same sort. They all
have the Regular Army mans point of
view that the soldier must be we'll
taken care of. A cook who has
dirty kitchen will rue the day he
ever. sighted a pot.
How does he doctor the water
bag" the colonel asked a sergeant of
one company. There was a deceiving
tone OF innocent inquiry in his voice.
Tho waterbag is the huge container
it from the miscellaneous wrigglers
that infest country water in France.
The waterbag's doctor was proven in
nocent in his absence. He had mixed
the chemical with the proper amount
Of hot water in the proper way. But
rations. There can be no doubt that
he had been the victim of a horrible
outrage by some quartermaster or
quartermasters unknown at some time
in the past. They had red-taped him
to death.
i've put in reauisitions for the
days rations." explained the unfortu-
you go down there and cuss him
out" said the colonel. IT'S your Job
on your wagons. We may start any
hour now. Never mind what happened
to you three weeks aRo-you go down
there and GET THOSE RATIONS"
The light Of determination came
into that young captains eyes. He
began to see red tape in different
light. He said that he would go down
there and get those rations-and I'll
make a bet with any one that he has
been down there" and got them by
this time.
A Matter Of Mules.
Two of the majors. 1t appears, had
been put upon by some one in the mat
ter of mules. But a little while ago.
and each possessed strings of mules
that were mulish pearls Of price;
only mules that were tottering to
their fall. They were boneracks of
mules. Men had to walk on either
side Of them and aid them into camp.
There was Q certain vagueness In each
you fellows have been stealing
each others mules" was the coloners
decision. Tho majors looked at each
other and grinned. The colonel seemed
not to care. What did interest him
plenty Of good mules when the march
started. They assured him that they
would. When we left each was set
ting out extra guards on his mule
lines, but there was talk of truce
between them. and Of combination
against some one else suspected of
having fine mules. Maybe they were
Just Joking Perhaps. that is the Army
way Of Joking. But 1 wouldn't trust
a good mule in a days ride of either.
The days decision was was that aisas .ne
The men had managed to keep them
selves clean in the trenches-which Is
q miracle-and little extra clothing
had been needed when they came out.
Recruits were quarantined until tney
had nroyen themselves free of cooties.
or else had been freed of them. Their
clothes and bed and sleeping quarters
were in good condition. Their extra
socks and undertaking were ready
for use. Best of all. they were in the
highest Of high spirits.
:.They're a damn good outfit" said the
colonel. They'll do"