The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-05-08
By sIGRID ARNE


 CAMP ROOSEVELT, Luray, Va May 8.-The ring of the ax througl mountain wilderness is sweet musi to the 200 young men faced witl hewing out a home here in th' first camp set up under the presi dents conservation plan.
 As each pine crashes the mer are closer to a home on the shagg. side Of MassanuIten mountain, sev en miles west of Luray.
 From Cities and Farms
 They have gathered from cite and farms where doors are closet against the unemployed; where : cup of coffee is hard to rustic, and a mans strength begins tt slip.
 In a day they dropped from mod ern civilization to the life tha faced Daniel Boone and his kind Everything had to be done at once the forest floor was cleared for { camp; tents and a kitchen wers set up; kindling chopped.
 It took work, but it is done witf pride, boyish boasting. grins ana snatches of song that float of with campfire smoke to the darl humps of the Blue Ridge across tn, valley.
 Say this is the life." ex-
 plodes a yellow-h a fred boy,
 "Of course, it doesn't look like
 much now" and he waves his
 hand to muddy ompany
 streets" and a chill, gray sky,
 but give us a little time."
 He stopped to grin as two boy trotted by with pine boughs il their arms. There goes a floor, he explained
 He led the way proudly to th' square army tent that is his home with five other young men. Arm, cots stood around the edge. Bar rack bags filled with clothes stoot in an orderly pile in one corner In the center a small, iron, cone shaped stove gave off warmth. 4 buddy" was scraping woodlan' mud from his boots. Another wa writing home to mother, using tn, side of a crate for a desk. An i'm provised rack hung over the stow held drying towels and wash cloths
 Routine Is Simple
 The routine is purposely sim pie" says Capt. Leo Donovan, tn world war veteran taken from Fl Washington to launch this experi ment. We have avoided militar, discipline. We hardly need it. Tn, men are so eager to work"
 The days program includes:
 a.m., rising bugle; 8 a-m.,
 ready for work after dressing,
 eating and strengthening the
 camp; II a.m., rest and clean
 up for dinner; noon, dinner; l
 p.m., work; 4:30 pm, rest and
 recreation; 5:3O supper; ' pm,
 some talk and singing "and so
 to bed"
 We don't work them too hard, says Donovan, some of them aren' strong enough. But I could see change for the better the frs week, including those conditioning days at F't. Washington. I've nevel seen a group of men with better spirit-and I've never seen hun grier lot."
 "All the comforts of home grin ned curly haired Barney Taylo from Texas, as he looked arounc his tent home Running water anc steam heat"
 That brought a shout of laugh ter from his five tent mates. Rain: have made the ground soggy. Riy' ulets trickle across the floor of tht tents, strike the little army, cone shaped stoves, and send up stean clouds.
 Every piece of camp routine is interesting.
 Say, how long must our candle' last?" asked a dark-eyed youngstel of IS years. His name was Johr Talbot. His home had been in Vir. ginia.
 Two nights" answered Serg. R H. Nesbit who is enthusiastic abou this assignment.
 That means bed for us early to- night grinned Taylor. We hat two- candle power last night-cu our candle in half and burned bot ends.
 A Song Bird on Hand Say, you ought to be here a Continued on Page Three