Evening star., 1921-10-01
MARINES IN RIG BATTLE.
Realistic Warfare Over Historic

MESS TENT. CAMP HARDING, THE
WILDERNESS, October This war
game makes a mighty pretty picture
gun squads and infantry "inaltrating''
through woods and uplands, concealed
from time to time by smoke screens.
covered in their dashing advances by
roaring whippet tanks, and supported"
by artillery batteries located to the rear.
lanquidly high up in the hazy blue
sky. and troop movements are re-
ported from II by telephone to head
quarters. just AZ Prof. Lowe report
ed to Gen. Grant In this same neiShs
borhood nearly sixty years ago. :
A squadron of airplanes swoops
and zooms about the various valley
camps, observing" also, or dropping
messages which they get by radio
from headquarters, destined to va
rious company commanders. or per-
haps the plane is soaring high aloft.
directing the blank-shot artillery fire
so that it will accurately reach Its
objective on each hilltop or hollow.
Thousands See Rattle.
Signal Corps men with huge reels
of wire and small boxes constituting
the field telephone equipment follow
closely after the flrst-line men, and
the colonel of each regiment Is thus
kept in quick communication with his
headquarters.
Thousands of farm and town folks
flock in over a. dozen dusty roads to
see this military maneuFering and
stand in silent wonderment at the
great camps, the completeness Of
equipment. the dash and enthusiasm
of the corps. A few old settlers re-
lead the visitors through the fields
where you may pick up civil war
lead bullets at every other step.
One of the most convincing features
Ito your correspondent of these
operations was the field conditions
fifty miles of dusty 'bussing" in the
middle of a truck train, making the
route from Qusnttco. eyes and ears
and mouth and nose were almost
choked shut with feathery dust
clouds A search for typewriters
headquarters had a monopoly. and
Maj. VogeL sin charge Of the press
CORPS" issued officially the pronounce
melt that Newspaper men without
| their machines were out O. luck, like
a soldier without his rife"
Campaign Coalitions"
After supper, when the press start
ed Its daily grind. all lights were
ordered out" except at headquar-
eeis, Ou dCCouHt OI DOmDlnE ma0e0~
vers. and when lanterns were OBJ
| tanned by the reseurcefal. II was the
mess tent. where pots ana pans were
being washed, that had to serve as 8
copy" shop. In other words, the
press is being initiated into cam.
paign condition" as we'll as the SOL
diery. and all visiting scribes should
be warned to bring typewriters and
| stationery. folHng. tables, towels
soap and service duds.
The line of communications consists
of one twelve-party telephone ia
Fredericksburg, and no telegraph this
side of Fredericksburg. Capt. Craig
aide to Gen. Lejeune, solved this
question of intelligence by inaugural.
my daily airplans service for the
press to Washington. so everything
! Is lovely and the goose hangs high.
Big Day Tomorrow,
The Wilderness White House, which
will be occupied by President and Mrs
Harding. constructed with matched and
vanished flooring. enamsled bathtubs
and running hot water, modern furni-
ture ct al. It was the big day for the
| dell dogs, this day of intimacy with
their commander in chief. -
Regardless Of all tactical and
strategtcal war plans. the mere busi-
| ness of maneuverlng In the "field'
is a great discipline in the matter OF
supplies and troop co-ordinations, :.
And for mere observers, 1t Is q truly
interesting show"