The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-10
NO CAMP DELAYS
Funston Men Are Discharged in
Quickest Possible Time.
This Is Contrary to the Belief
of the Public.
CLERKS WORK ALL NIGHT
Every Effort Made To Send Men
Home at Once.
FOrty-Eight Hours Usual Time
Required for a Discharge.
CLERKS WORK ALL MIGHT

Quite contrary to the expressed be-
lief of a few dissruntled persons the
discharge milT' at Camp Funston is
possessed of both a heart and of a
soul Officers and men engaged in the
work of discharging the returning
overseas men go without food and rest
or any of the small comforts of civil
ian life in order that the incoming
men from the combat divisions over
seas may the sooner return to their
homes.
At the Union Pacific depot. while
the men of the 18th infantry and the
13Oth field artillery were entraining
for Camp Funston and final discharge
a number of women who evidently had
relatives in the regiments were heard
to remark that they supposed the
boys would be held at Funston for a
week or two while the discharge Of
ficers loafed thru the work of return
ing the men to civil life
Officer Heard Kicks.
And all the while these disgruntled
ones were talking and surmising con-
corning something they knew not of,
standing right near them hard at
work speeding up the preliminaries to
discharge so that the boys could spend
tomorrow in their homes.
Nearly every man in either the
both field artillery or the 137th in
fantry will be wearing the red chevron
indicating final discharge tonight.
And nearly every one of them will be
displaying that badge in the confines
of the old home town and not in the
| big, comfortable barracks at Camp
| Funston.
The officers and men who handle
! the discharge work at Camp Funston
| bend every single effort and call upon
/ their every reserve of strength in the
endeavor to get the returning overseas
men out of the service in the shortest
| possible time.
Instead of criticism, their lot should
/ be an unstinted need of praise. Qui-
| etly and unaSSuminSly they go about
their work-even tho they, too, have
relatives and friends at home waiting
| for them. The personnel of the dis
charge mill at Camp Funston is de-
serving of the best the women and
| the men of America can give them
in the way of thanks.
Just for instance, and for a better
understanding of the way the mill
works:
When the trains bearing the both
| field artillery and the 18th infantry
left Topeka for Camp Funston late
Thursday evening, every company
| commander and platoon leader was
| furnished with a set of instructions
| on just what he should do and have
| his men do on arrival at the camp.
| A fine mess had been arranged for
the men and Immediately upon arrival
| at camp the men were moved to
| hot meal. Entering the mess hall,
| they were relieved of their equipment
this equipment being received by the
government in all stages of repair
| and disrepair-and each man was is
| sued a receipt in full for the equip
ment he ought to have
! AS soon as supper was finished the
/ force of $50 clerks working in the
/ discharge mill set to work making out
the final papers for each man in the
commands. And each individual dis
charge requires the filling out of
| thirteen separate forms required by
the government. Each soldier must
! be paid in full to the date of dis
charge. Each soldier before he re
ceives his final papers must undergo
| a rigid physical examination.
Within forty eight Enthusiastically
less-after troops are received at the
discharge mill at Camp Funston they
are on their way home, civilians.
Work All Night.
But this requires machinelike pre-
cisiOn in work, the most perfect or
ganizatiOn and close attention to de-
tail Nothing is omitted that will
make for speed. Clerks work all
night. Specially qualified officers
meet the troop trains in Topeka or
Kansas City and complete the pre-
liminary work before the troops even
arrive at Camp Funston.
In the case of the regiments named,
Maj. ]. B. Goodman was in Topeka
to meet the troops on their arrival
here. Immediately the troopers pulled
into the depot in Topeka, Major Good
man was on the job, working out the
preliminary details, issuing instruc-
tons, and making the pass easy for
the rapid diS<.large of the units when
Funston was reached.
General Sage, commander of Camp
Fupston, is himself devoting practical
ly the whole of his attention to dis
charging the returning overseas men.
Colonel Mcconnell, chief executive Of
flcer OF the camp, eats and sleeps with
the one thought of rapid discharge in
his mind. In fact the whole officer
and enlisted man personnel of the dis
charge mill, with the civilian clerks
employed. work night and day issuing
discharges and getting the soldiers
out of camp on the way home
DraiSn not ariticisrna l..