The Topeka state journal., 1919-03-05
THANKS HIS men
Wood Upon Leaving Funston
Issues Order of Appreciation.
Says Middle West Has Learned
Lesson of Preparedness.

Camp Funston. Kan, March s.
Maj Gen Leonard Wood, upon leav-
ing here for Chicago to take command
of the central department. posted the
following general order:
Upon relief from duty as COM
rnanding generalsof the i4th national
army cantonment Camp Funston.
Kansas. the undersigned wishes to ex-
press his sincere appreciation Of the
soIdierIy and loyal spirit of the Off
GERS and men of the command They
have done their best under all coudt-
tions, and made possible whatever de-
gree of success has been attained CO.
operation has been earnest and sin
cere. and fine spirit and high sense of
duty have characterised the command
from the first The Red Cross. Y Nj
c. A. Knights of Columbus Y. W c.
A Salvation Army. Jewish Welfare
League, Camp Community Service and
other organizations interested in the
welfare or the troops are entitled to
the highest commendation for their
splendid work. work which has added
to the contentment OF the men, built
up their morale, and exercised the
strongest kind OF influence in main
tanning high ideals and excellent moral
/ standards not only in the cantonment
itself, but in the communities ada
cent.
THE undersigned feels that he has
been singuIarIy fortunate in having
been assigned to command in this sec
/ ton of the country, f. in addition to
the excellent qualities OF the men VINO
came for training, there mas been the
heartiest and most sincere co-opera-
I ton on the part Of the civil communi-
ties from which the men came. Es-
peciaIly has this been true of the area
from which the bulk of tne men who
came to this cantoument were drawn
I Women and men have done everything
in their power to keep the country
clean and to build up respect for the
! uniform and send the troops oversee
| in the best possible physical, mental
and moral condition
7 Nothing could have been finer than
their attitude, and to It must be at
/ tributed in q large measure the sue
/ cess attained in the IA pid training and
preparation of the men They have
demonstrated what can be accom-
Nplished by a people in arms whose
/ hearts are in the cause for which their
| men are fighting The troops we
have sent oversee have established a
, record second to none. and the division
i which was >entratning when the
| armistice came. was reported by the
I joint French and British commission
as the best they had seen in this
| country. This could not have been ac-
| complished without the earnest and
i loyal support. not only of men and
officers. but CT the people from whom
they came.
/ That preparedness Is the lesson of
the war has been accepted by the peo-
pie of this great middle west. who now
/ realize its importance in maintenance
of peace as well as for the prompt and
! efficient conduct of war
Men who have returned to their
homes have returned the better for
their training and with a better TN
derstandin Of the obligations OF citi-
ze rship- Those who failed to go over
seas have the consolation of having
doEe their best, for they cheerfully
and Loyalty discharged the clear duty
of every citizen in time of war, and
their effort has been a part of the
great national effort which brought
about a victorious peace"