The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-01-16
BEAUTY OF CANAL ZONE
MEN WHO GO THERE
MUCH IMPRESSED
Those Enlisting In Uncle Sans
Service Are Delighted With
rsga The Climate

listments for Panama canal depart
ment, the commanding general has
sent some very interesting inrorma-
lion with regard 10 the canal zone.
Conditions in the canal zone at the
present time are better than ever be-
fore for men in the United States
army. All the coast artillery stations
are modern, we'll equipped and san
itary in every respect. In the early
part Of 1920, two new infantry posts
VIII be ready for occupatio All posts
are within easy travelling distance OF
each other. The coast al tillery posts.
of which there are three on the At
lantic side and one on the Pacific
side, are within easy reach of the
larger towns. They are on the sea-
shore where il is cool and where sea
bathing is one of the principal re-
creations. Every post is equipped
with recreation building, supplied
by the Y. NJ. c. A.Entcrtainments of
all kinds are held in these buildings.
Adjacent to the department are the
jungleS of Panama which abound il
all kinds OF Vegetables and animal life
for those who are interested in this
sort of thing. The waters surround
ing the Canal abound in all kinds of
fish. Many soldiers spent week ends
and holidays in taking advantage OF
the fishing and hunting privileges.
A baseball league consisting of
eight teams has been organized or
the IstEmuS and the season runs
from December 10 April of each year
Each post in the department has
team in this league 49,.
All persons living in the canal
zone are governmen. employees
either civilian, army or navy and
nothing but government buildings are
authorized. For noncommissioned Of
ficers who have families. there are
non commissioned quarters available
at every post. Accommodations for
families can be obtained in the cities
of Colon and Panama at rate of from
fifteen to thirty dollars per month.
Food can be purchased in the Panama
railroad commissaries and the army
commiSsary making the living ex-
penses of the enlisted mans family
much more reasonable than in the
.tates.
The climate of the Department is
n out the same the year around, the
temperature averaging eighty de-
grees Fahrenheit The rainy season
lasts from April to January. The day
season continues from January to
April OF each year. During che rainy
season il rains a few hours at Il
time almost every day although there
is frequently n period of five o. six
days during which there is no rain at
all. ,. -...- ...
There are seven hundred and thirty
commissioned vacancies i'm the med
zeal corps. United States Army. and
for the purpose of filling them exam
nations of all eligible applicants
will be held March Is next in the
United States, and its colonial pos
sessions, including Panama canal
zone, as well rs in France, Germany
and Siberia. Examinations will be
open 10 civilians as well as to per-
sons who have. been in military
service The law requires that appli-
cantS shall be citizens between the
ages Of twenty two and thirty two
years and that the original appoint
mcnt be made in the grade of first
lieutenant. Applications for exarlina-
tion in this country must be addressed
to the Surgeon General of the Army,
Washington. ID. c. They must contain
the name in full. date. and place OF
birth, permanent address, medical
schools from which graduated, with
dates, professional experience, state
merit of military service for those
who have been in the war, statement
OF any contract surgeon service and
documentary evidence of citizenship
il OF alien birth. ..s.
Important changes in requirements
fer entrance to the United States
Military academy at West Point are
provided for in legislation now pend
ing. AZ the present time candidates
for West Point are required to submit
educational certificates The new rule
provides that candidate may submit
certificate which will enable him to
enter the academy at later date up
on presenting his diploma. Candidates
who have qualified, hut who are
altcrnates, will all be admitted to the
Academy
a second contingent Of men selected
to carry ON the work of sending home
the bodies of soldiers buried in
France, sailed from Hoboken, n. j..
OH January g. The force includes
embalmers, r a ( t :; nj H.. inspectors
surveyors, clerks and typists. They
Will land at Antwerp and be distrib-
uted to various points in France The
war department has completed plans
which will result i'm the removal to
the United States of bodies of all
men Hurled in certain sections o.
France, where relatives have request
ed this action.
After nearly three years of service
in Europe, American forces in France
have been withdrawn and are en-
route TO the United States. Brigadier
General Conner, commander of the
forces in France cabled the War de-
partment that he expected to sail
from Antwerp on January 9. All
activities have been closed Reports
are now that on thousand five hun
dred men are now at sea, en- route
home.
On January /, army records showed
that there We're two hundred forty
thousand, four hundred fifty nine
persons in military service. Since
. the armistice, the army has been re
! Guced ninety three per cent by de-
81 cmobilizing. The total numbers of men
"a demchilized is three million, -four