The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-07-16
AhP1.D]0D|GE'S'''i'..IIEf.... I y { VI.
SPEED RECORD
Iowa Camp Has the Record Among
Il Amy Camps in United States for
Speed in, Decentralization
APPRAISERS HAVE BEGUN WORK

RPfHAISeHS VNv6 oeSN "S.
Committee Of Six Appraisers Appoint
ed by United States Marshal, Now
Appraisino Land for Camp Dodge
CAMP DODGE, July 12-The past
week $3.50 soldiers were discharged
from this camp. The mea came In
small contingents, mostly from over
seas. The largest group was the rem
nant OF the 1O9th engineers who saw
service in France with the Iowa ma
tional guards. The men were in
charge of First Lieut.. j. G. Dorsey, OF
J Detroit. Most of these men are from
Nebraska. All were given their free
dom the day after their arrival and
were delighted to get back to their
homes on the Nebraska prairies.
Camp Dodge has the record among
army camps in the United States for
speed in demobilization, and for
handling the work connected with dis
charging the men at minimum cost
to the government and with a mini
mum OF permanent personnel at the
camp. ,i.i; "a tssF .t.st. .5.-s. 4 ~ :.
The war department has given the
local camp first rank in Glass A-the
class that includes those camps hand
ling the most men mOnth-Dodge,
Dix and Upton. r.
During the month of May, Camp
Dodge discharged 23j6S5 men, at an
average cost to the United States OF
$1315 each. This cost included not
/. only the expenses Of the men while in
camp, but pay of the Rehabilitation Of
ficers and men, coal and forage and
subsistence for the camp personnel. In
June over $4,000 men were discharged
at an even lower cost than during May
The men coming into camp are
handled in ,detachments of 100 each.
] An officer stays with each detachment
until all papers are in shape, the men
given their physical examination, paid
and. discharged. .,..ts q.
1, The result of this efficiency Is that
Camp Dodge discharges men on an
average Of % hours from the time they
reach camp. The government allows
4S hours for this purpose, and mo. 9th,
er deno ltzati0 center has approach
ed this record.
The high mark IA speed al Camp
Dodge was reached in May when $50
men Of the 151st field artillery were
discharged between 1O:45 a. m. and 5
p. m.-seven hours. This is believed
to be. the Individual record for the
army ".as ''sf ''~e' 1% e
Credit for Camp Dodge's record is.
due largely to two officers, Colonel
Rush S. Wells, rehabilitation officer,
and Captain Harold B. Strong, adju-
tant Colonel Wells worked out the
system used in the local. camp by,
means OF which the excellent record
were: Major Cleveland Skinner,
finance officer; Maj: Geo. M. Davies,
receiving officer, and Major A. NJ.
Jones, executive officer. They have
been assisted by staff of SO officers,
including 16 medical officers; 112 army
field clerks and 243 enlisted men. This
number is being cut down each
month, although the total Of men dis
charged is increasing.
93Hostess House Closed -'.'>
The hostess house, one of the land
markssOf the camp, is closed. All of
its activities ceased July 18th and the
faithful women in charge sought their,
own homes. Its history is unique and
eventful. It. was here that soldier;
boys met, their Fmothers, sisters and
sweetheafts. 1t was the only place in.
camp where q woman could find lodg-
ing for the night. It was the popular
eating place, the cafeteria affording the
general public place for meals every
day in the week. Competent women
were in charge and every comfort and
convenience was provided. Thousands
= of family reunions were held here just
before the final departure of the boys
taking such large toll of the splen-
did young manhood at the hospitals it
was at the hostess horse that sorrow
ing mothers, wives and sisters found
sympathy and entertainment. The
great building was erected by the y
w. c. A. It's support came from funds
provided from the contributions made
for the various war activities. 1t filled
a large place In the welfare work at
the camp.
~ Appraisers Begin Work
The committee Of six appraisers ap-
pointed by N. F, Reed, United States
marshal, of the land that the govern.
ment intends TO purchase at Camp
Dodge, began It's work when the Sec
retary, Blanchard lB. Worse "of' the
Iowa Loan & Trust company was in
structed to confer with United States
District Attorney John DeMar with a
view to- obtaining data and plats of
the land under consideration. and to-
notify property owners. 2a ta't
A series OF hearings will be held.
the first to be arranged for August
18th The members Of the committee
are District Judge Hubert Utterback,
III. b. Hawley, u. Robins, M. H. Cohen
and Gardner Cowles. Mr.. Cowles was
chosen chairman of the commission at
their first meeting.
Disability Claims Good for Year
There is considerable hesitancy on,
the part of the men slightly disabled
in the service in filing claims for
compensation. The chief medical ad-
visor of the wark risk insurance ad-
vises that the physical disability of a
discharged soldier may be recognized
by the bureau after his discharge even