Middletown transcript., 1922-03-25

Reduced Appropriations Forces Army
to Apply Economies All Along the
Line-Doughboys Compelled to Keep
: Strict Watch On Their Shoes-Sav-
ings Also Being Effected in Cloth
ing-Days of Wartime Spending
Are Over.
The time was when, in popular
fancy no good soldier ever looked at
mis- heels. That belief, fostered by
countless jokesmiths, is due to be
rudey shattered when the doughboys
OF The present army offer their testi-
mony, according to officials of the
war department. The good soldier
Of the present day is giving careful at
tention to not only his shoes, heels AND
soles, but to every item of his equip
ment, they declare-and all because Of
the wave of economy that has swept
over the military arm Of the service
In its effort to live within the re
duced appropriations granted by the
present congress, the army has been
forced to apply economies all along
the line, ami the thrift habit is being
impressed ON the rank and file in
manner calculated to leave an abiding
impression.
More Care for Shoes.
Some saving soul suggested that the
item Of shoes was one that might be
easily subjected to little pruning.
The doughboys were scufiing out their
sole leather at a rate that threatened
TO prove ruinOus, he demonstrated,
and 1t was suggested that the man
behind the gun be made personally
responsible for the state of his foot
wear The suggestion was adopted,
and as translated to the rank and file
1t runs about as follows:
Privates will see that their shoe
sOles are in good order-that they
are turned in for replacement at the
first sign of hole in the outer layer
of leather. And they will make this
shoe inspection every day on penalty
of having to pay themselves for any
replacements where the old shoe turned
in to the quartermaster' department
is too greatly worn to permit its re-
pair.
Savings on Clothing.
In the matter OF clothing, too, the
war department is efiecting savings
wherever possible. When private or
''noncom" takes his best girl to the
movies he is clad in his Sunday best,
the suit he wears only at inspection
and when on pass. In his other waking
hours he is uniformed in khaki that
has seen better days, but still is ser.
viceable for drills and camp routine
Careful inspections Of salvaged cloth.
ing are made by the inspector general
to the end that no uniform be scrapped
while there yet is d minimum of serv-
ice in it.
mercy straws to show how the wind
is blowing in the army. The effort to
make congress dollars 90 as far as
possible Is apparent all along the line,
aud even the rawest of recruits is
aware that thrift is regarded as q
cardinal virtue in the army.
Mo Sightseeing Tours.
That sis impressed on him as soon
AS he enlists, for where it once was
possible to join The colors in one part
of the country and be assigned to
duty with some remote organization,
getting splendid opportunity to "see
America first at the present expense
of the War department. things work
out quite differently now. Recruits
are assigned to organizations nearest
the stations where they enlist, and
the day OF free sightseeing tours are
over, War department officials assert
This transportation taboo is fast be-
coming all-inclusive, according to army
officers. In times past when a regi-
ment was transferred to another post,
the transfer was accompanied by en-.
training the men and their impedi-
menta and setting them down in their
new home, bag and baggage Under
the new scheme of things, the trans
fer of regiment involves no such ex-
penditure Of time and money. Only
the colors of the outfits to be trans
ferred are sent on to the new post,
the men being assigned to some other
organization near by.
Special Instance Cited.
An instance of this is to be found
IN the recent transfer of the 10th in
fantry regiment from the Atlantic to
the Pacific coast. The cOlors of the
10th were sent to San Francisco-and
by boat instead of train, to save ex-
pense--the men of the old 10Th were
transferred to the Doth infantry regi-
ment near by, and the new regiment
On the Pacific coast was filed by men,
bers Of the sd infantry, who had been
put on the inactive list, at the Pre-
sidio. Even the colonel of the 32d
infantry became the commander Of the
transferred" 10th.
When transfers of units are to be
made at lesser distances they are ac-
cOmplished by hiking The men shoul-
der their full impost of equipment,
the accompanying baggage trains are
loaded, the command to march Is Civ
On and the outfit is on Its way to ite
new post.
Ban on Individual Transfers.
AAotner evidence Of the armys ef-
foSt to cut Its cost re expenses accord
Ing tc :Ae c;orh appropriated is to be
found in a new sentence that is be-
ginning to appear In the general or
dprs Of tha chief Of staff That oan