Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-05-21
Hilarious Happiness of Dogboys at Embarkaton Ports France
Is Infectious Enough to Make Stone Dog Wag
His Tai-Dffcultes of the Task Inter-
estingy Described

plank his squad is tolled off and es-
corted to quarters.
Whistles foot. the stevedores unIoose
the hawsers. The band plays on the
top deck. Men climb into the masts
and rigging. The rails are lined with
them. They shout, they scream, tney
laugh, they cry.
Another regiment has gone home.
To the layman 1t sounds easy,
doesn't f.? Two hundred thousand
men a month, or approximately 5000
from each of the three main embarka-
ton ports In France-Bordeaux Saint
Nrzaire and Brest There shouldn't
be any difficulty about that.
Well, just listen moment to the
difficulties of the actual work:
First, there is the priority Of wound
ed men on the embarkatiOn lists. Ev-
cry man able to stand the Journey Is
being sent as soon as possible to Amer
lea.
But a wounded or sick man cannot
be taken Immediately from the hos
pltal train at the port to the boat. And
unfortunately, the trains and boats
don't arrive together. SO he must be
taken to hospital at or near the port.
His transportation from train to hos
pital, his care there and his transport
tation from the hospital to the boat re-
quire labor and time.
The handling and care Of the wound
ed also have been worked out to a
fine point. The orderlles that receive
them at the dock are trained i'm the
handling of stretchers. An ambulance
carrying four men is unloaded and
ready for inspection at the dock with
In four minutes from the time IL ar
rlves. Each stretcher is met at the
gang-plank by ship orderly and con-
Quoted to a place aboard, previously
selected. according to the nature Of
his case. So much for the wounded
and sick.
How They Are Handled.
Then there is the well soldier to be
considered. Soldiers on active service,
selected for rehabilitation. are arrlv-
Ing at the embarkation ports In groups
which number from 1000 to 5000, and
at all hours of the day or night. It
rains almost every day along the At
lantic seaboard in France. II Is cold,
disagreeable rain, which chills the
bones and makes mud ankle deep.
This means that warm accommoda-
lions and hot food must be always
ready.
Then they must await their turn to
sail. Some may remain in the concen-
tIatlon camp six weeks. II all de-
Ponds upon the ocean transportation.
IL they arrive I'm unlts-such as regl-
ments. battallOns, etc.-they must be
kept together and sail together.
Not all soldiers come in regiments
or battalions. either. There is the
problem of the casual" for Instance.
This man Is problem even to him
self. He started out in the army as
a member of certain unit. But In
the necessary shifting. reducing. In
creasIng and separation of his and
other units or outfits, he became de-
| tached.
Whether coming in regiment or
alone. too, each man must be carefully
checked upon entering and leaving and
also at the dock before boarding the
transport. This Is no small job when
%, 600 or more men are handled each
month.
Going Through the "Mill."
Probably the only lnkllng that a well
soldier ut the emharkatiOn concentra-
ton camps in France has that his In
ternment is nearly up and that he will
soon be on his way home is the order
to report at the mill" The "mlll''
Is series of buildings, which trans
forms the feelings of a doughboy from
that of cootie, mud 1stered indivld-
ual to that of cale-free, wealthy
boulevard prOmenader
The individual doughboy receives