Evening star., 1934-02-16
c. c. c. MEMBERS
VISIT VILLAGES
0utnumberS Resid ents at
Times on Tri-WeekIy
"TripS to ToWn."

their evenings off, the reaction to
q tri-Weekly influx Of high-spirited
youths was one Of aloof disdain after
some early-day disorders, but they
now have become tolerant, and in
many cases have welcomed G. c. c.
members into their homes as guests.
These small villages, perched upon
the precarious mountain sides and in
the valleys seldom have more than
q few hundred inhabitants, especially
in the Virginia, Maryland and
Pennsylvania districts where camps
are located.
Three times each week the mem
bers are loaded into Army trucks, and,
IN charge of an officer. taken into the
nearest village. In cases where there
are several camps near one village the
number of c. C. c. members in
town" on the days Immediately after
monthly pay days may exceed the
total number Of regular inhabitants.
Pay Visit to Edinburg.
Near Camp Roosevelt, in Virginia,
Is the tiny village OF Edinburg with
half a dozen stores, a railroad station
and a moving picture theater.
The G. C. C. men arrive for an eve
ming In the bright lights. They Wend
their way about the streets and in
and out of the restaurant" and the
moving picture house. The smoke In
the restaurant, which is the main
rendevouz, becomes thick and heavy.
A few girls come in and out. They
are treated with respect, although
d. i i
persifage. Occasionally the door
opens, a gust of cold air brings with
It youngster in uniform, his long
military oyercoat pressed and clean.
With him is girl friend" There
are few romances in the villages, be-
cause there are too many boys and
too few girls. However, marriages
occur now and then, as love finds a
way even under the handicap of $50
o month, 500 Of which goes home"
The village seems deserted after
the trucks swing out Of town. Oc-
casionally a bewildered tree trooper
Is left behind, but kind-hearted resi-
dents always manage to provide a
bed for him and the mail truck"
picks him up in the morning.
permanent quarters Erected.
In practically all camps where cold
weather strikes, the work of erecting
permanent" quarters has been COM
pleted. Regular Army officers have
been replaced by Reserve officers,
most of whom have been in charge
of construction on new buildings. In
many camps the personnel of officers
hanY9 n inn
officer, a welfare and recreation off,
Ger and surgeon.
The Regular Army personnel of
enlisted men has been replaced in
almost every camp by c. c. c. mem
bers trained to take over the duties
OF acting first sergeants," mess
sergeants" and head cooks"
The recent controversy over de-
%elopment of the C. c. c. into a
military unit, which was definitely
settled when President Roosevelt said
the camps were not in the least
nilitaristic," did not bring out the
attitude Of the members of the corps
In regard to possible military train
ing.
Most of the men In camps where
this correspondent made inquiries
stated they would gladly be under
military control in the event of any
national emergency, and that they
would like now to have some military
drill. Many of the members were
In the National Guard, Coast Guard
and other military organizations.
Proud Of Army Connection.
The men feel that they have some
definite connection with the Army,
and they are proud of it, They wear
their uniforms with jaunty swing.
All their clothing is military in
origin, and the form Of address and
issuance of orders is in military
style.
The forest work itself, experts as
sure you, has made provision to save
Uncle Sam untold millions with soil
erosion work completed, various tree
blightS eXternlinated and the gen.
eral clearing of the forest areas. In
fact, some forest experts believe the
wedding out of trees suffering from
blights and the destruction of para
site growths necessary to the life
OF the blightS alone will account for
dollars to the National Government
In marketable timber for future gen.
srations.
The subsidization of the Civilian
Conservation Corps SO far has not
cost the amount Of money, they
point out, which already has been
saved by its work
In a recent report to President
Roosevelt, Robert Fechner. director
of the C. G. c., summarized the for
est work completed up to November
!, as follows:
Tree and plant disease control
operations on 2,120,e42 acres; insect
pest control on 1,355,563 acres; rodent
control on 3,809,270 acres; tree plant
ing on 60,092 acres; erosion control
on 468, ,107 acres and partial erosion
control on l72,744 acres and other
work Of similar nature, including
construction Of 1892 miles Of truck
trails. 6,754 miles of telephone lines
and 5,84o miles of fire breaks.
Since that time the work In the
forests has gone on apace. 1t has
been aided in some districts by the
Winter weather because 1t Is easier
10 do some types Of work when trees
are bare. Practically the same
amount of work has been done month
by month during the Winter season
and an equal amount of it as in the
Summer months, experts declare.