Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 236, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 October 1917 — Page 3

TROOPS IN FRANCE ARE LEARNING DISCIPLINE OF FOREIGN ARMIES

Officers Are Inclined to Follow Stiff neck British System, But French Democracy Is Invading Ranks—Our New Crop of Reserve Officers Are Greater Sticklers for Form Than Most West Pointers.

By HEYWOOD BROUN.

(Accredited to the Pershing Army In France by the New York Tribune and Syndicate.) American Expeditionary Army. “The most important factor in the American army will be discipline.” said an officer shortly after the troops out to the training camps. “If it lias good discipline it will be a good army; -■ ■ ifll hn s bad dlsdpl Ine, 11 will be'a bad army. I can watch a regiment stand at attention and tell you whether or not it can fight effectively.” The question remains as to what sort of discipline the American army will have. Some observers say that there are two kinds of good discipline— French discipline and English discipline. Under the French system there are let-down periods. Off duty an officer may fraternize with enlisted men to an extent which would scandalize the English army. This is due, in part, to the fact that the armies are composed differently. The English army Is much more stratified than the French. It has, as the American army had before the war, a distinct officers’ class. An Englishman of certain education receives a commission as ’a matter of course. Under the volunteer system, which prevailed at the beginning of the war, the English volunteer of the upper or upper middla. ..clgsa. did not offer his services until he was prepared to, fulfill the duties of an officer. The French draft, on the other hand, thrust many a distinguished citizen into the ranks. A sergeant in the instruction division here was one of the most popular playwrights in France before the war, and the other day a grimy little man climbed from a coal cart to tell me in perfect English that he had been an assistant professor of Romance languages in one of the great American universities—Cornell, I think—before the call came. Of course, when the word English discipline is used it falls short of the British army. Australian discipline and English discipline are vastly different. There is a popular story about an Anzac colonel in Egypt who drew up his men and told themj “An English general is coming here today to inspect the regiment, and remember, d you, don’t call me ‘Bill’ until he goes.” Canadians Well Disciplined. An Instructor at a British training camp told me that the Canadians were now among the best disciplined troops in the army, but that the Australians still gave occasional trouble. “Every now and then,” he said, “a couple of them will sneak down to the woods and camp out alone for a couple of days.” British officers will tell you that, aL though the Australians fight well, their losses are much higher than they would be with better discipline. If there is such a possibility as an absolutely democratic army, it has been much impaired by the poor work of the Russian republican army. The scheme of submitting each plan of attack to the soldiers before it is ordered cannot be said to have proved The question of discipline in the American army is complicated by many factors. Before the war there was a gulf between officers and men fully as wide as that in the English army. It was not due to lack of democracy. It was a gulf founded on fundamental differences of character and education. On one hand, there was the officer class, carefully selected and carefully trained, and on the other hand, the enlisted men, haphazardly accepted from the floating Professional armies the world over are recruited largely from the industrially Inefficient during times of peace. An American regular of no great

promise was bewailing the fact that an officer had hopped him because he executed a command imperfectly. "Well,” his companion answered, "wouldn’t the farmer bawl you out if he told you to feed the horses and you didn’t give them as much as he told you?” It was the typical point of view of the old type of professional soldier. He was drawn from the “bawled out” class and he could be governed only by “bawl out” mathods. Things are largely changed now. More than half the American army in France is made up of men who joined after the declaration of war. They were not jobless or inefficient. Multitudes of reasons sent them into the ranks. A few wanted to make the world safe for democracy. Many more desired adventure, an ocean voyage and a trip to Faris and perhaps Berlin. 7 ' - “I was marching my men along the other day,” said a young captain, “when I heard a private give the cheer of the University of Nebraska. I ran up4o him and said: ‘You didn’t do that well. I’m a Nebraska man myself. Let’s do it together.’ All Sorts of Officers. There are then men drawn from many classes in the army and there will be more. Already there are all sorts of officers. There is the regular frormWest Point, the occasional regular from civil life, the officer who came

through the Fort Leavenworth training school, the reserve officers and a uunv ber of former “non-coms” recently elevated to commissions. The greatest sticklers for discipline are the reserve officers. “I was talking to a soldier in the street," said an old West Pointer, “and he was telling me he had too much money to spend. ‘I can’t use half of it? he saltT, *ahd Jt waste It on tttfngs I don’t want. Look at the bunch of cigars I bought. Take a handful.’ I took three, but I was mighty sorry afterwards, because I had with me a young fellow, just commissioned second lieutenant, and he was almost shocked to death. tliat I should take cigars from a soldier.” The officers who rose from non-coms are also somewhat stiff and formal in the exercise of their new-found honors. All have, been transferred from their regular regiments, so that they shall not be associated with the enlisted men they knew before they held commissions. Some officers believe in leading their men; while others in driving them, while still a third class combine the two methods. One of the best young officers I have seen in the army is absolutely Informal with his men at times. He comes to their concerts and hands cigars to the quartette and consults with them as to what BQRg they -shall—sing; — —— “Captain, do you like ‘Cathleen?’ ** the big soldier who sang tenor would ask, and the captain would answer: “Does it go like this?” humming a bar, and then add: “Yes, that’s a good one; let’s have it.” He could be stern enough upon occasion, and he had the best bombers in the army, but liked his men to know the reasons for things. He was fond of letting them get his point of view about things. Thus, when he found some soldiers drinking too much, soon after their landing, he called a conference and told them that it had to stop. *

If the Whole Army Drank. “Some of you men are spending all your money on booze.” he said, “and getting stinko, pinko, sloppy drunk. It won’t do. 1 A few old privates get drunk, but don’t copy them. It’s just because of that they’re old privates. I’m going to choose my non-coms from you, but not the men who drink. You’ve drunk yourselves out of a commission, sergeant. I was going to recommend you, but how can I do it now? Just look at the way Tsee it. If I took my pay in a lump I could buy every saloon in the town and stay drunk for two years. (“I had to exaggerate a little,” he confessed when he told the story to me afterward). What do you suppose would happen then? Suppose the majors and the colonels and the generals and the whole bunch got drunk, what would happen to the army? Don’t forget that this Is your army as much as Lt is mine. That’s all today.” The chief and most able member of the English school of discipline is General Pershing.' He puts the drive in the army. His inspections are masterpieces of thoroughness and he is exceedingly stern with all inefficients, whether they are officers or soldiers. Slouchy bearing annoys him fearfully and he takes an active and penetrating interest in shoes, buttons and bright metal. He is exceedingly chary of praise. Probably nobody in the army will ever call him Papa Pershing, but for all that he is a Roman father to his men.

ALLIGATOR FOUND IN SEWER

Employee of Pittsburgh Bureau of Highways and Sewers, Pulls Out 3-Foot Saurian. Pittsburgh.—The North side has been famed for many things. Now it is the habitat of the alligator. If you don’t believe it, ask George

SELLING OLD GLORY IN PARIS

Selling American flags in Paris has become a very common occurrence. The venders are reaping a small harvest, so popular is the American emblem.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER,INT>.

NOTED BEAUTY HELPS

Latest photograph of the beautiful Mrs. Ava Willing Astor, first wife of the late John Jacob Astor, who has been living in London for several years. She fs now devoting her life to war relief work. She is one of the most Industrious workers among the society women and nobility in London. She seems to be indefatigable, for every moment of her time is spent advantageously. Mrs. Astor has won a place high In London’s social sphere, and is much. sought —by —nobility. Her daughter, Muriel, aids in the relief work. It is reported that Mrs. Vincent Astor paid her mother-in-law a visit while on a short stay In London. Mrs. Vincent Astor is now in France aiding in the organization of a hospital bdhlnd the lines. Every now and then a count breaks into the news with information that he is trying to win the hand of the charming Mrs. Astor. Many members of nobility have been disappointed suitors.

Moul, a perfectly reliable employee of the Bureau of Highways and Sewers. He has the proof on exhibition at his home in Lockhart street. He got it yesterday when he. was sent to fix a sewer in Royal street. He had, lifted the manhole and was prodding to remove the obstruction, when a strange face, with rather evillooking eyes, bobbed in his range of vision. After the flrst shock Moul grabbed the headnnd drew forth a 3-foot alligator. He got a rope and led it to his home and is trying to dope out how the Florida native got this far North.

German Coal Shortage.

Amsterdam. —The coal famine is increasing from week to week throughout Germany. Although a- large number of miners have been brought back from the front and thousands of . war prisoners are employed In the pits, even the ammunition factories cannot get sufficient fuel. The use of electric power and gas has been reduced 20 per cent everywhere, but this measure falls to bring relief. Many cities have been compelled to prohibit cooking and heating with gas, and large numbers of towns had to shut down their lighting plants. The 'manufadturers of war materials have) warned the government that they will not be able to fill their contracts if the present conditions continue.

Meatless Days on Diners.

Portland, Ore. —Meatless meals oh Mondays and Fridays are now served on the dining cars of the Spokane, Portland and Seattle railroad, a part of the Hill system. In addition, chefs have been cautioned to waste as little food as possible. Passengers are handed small suggestion cards indicating ways by which waste may be cut down. All this comes as the result of an appeal from the food administration at Washington, the railroad officials announce.

PREPARE TO MOVE PYRAMID OF GRANITE

Out on the summit of the Rocky mountains, where the Union Pacific railroad crosses the backbone of the continent workmen are now preparing to move a huge pyramid of granite, erected 87 years ago to the memory of Oakes Ames and Oliver Ames, the constructors of President Lincoln’s great steel highway to the Pacific. Through a change in the line, built Tbr the purpose of eliminating unnecsary mileage and for cutting down the grade, the Ames monument was left standing alone nearly five miles from The Ames monument is unique among monuments. It stands on one of the most lofty ■eminences ever chosen for such a purpose and commemorates the name of the men whose constructive genius carried ’ the first

Oakes Ames, Builder.

railway over the Rocky mountains, a feat, which at the time, held the admiration of the world. The driving of the golden spike at Promontory point, ,which linked the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific on May 10, 1869, is the event most prominently fixed in the mindk of the American people, for It, was on that day that the entire nation celebrated with the firing of military salutes and the ringing of betts and many parades. But the real task was conquering the mountains. The executives of the Union Pacific

ERECTED TO MEMORY OF OAKES AND OLIVER AMES.

PINSK WAS RUINED

Railroads Cause Commerce of important Russian City to Decline Rapidly. SUFFERED MUCH FROM FIRE Much of Water-Borne Traffic Which Formerly Passed Through Town Diverted —Exchange Point for Trade With Germany. The ImpbrtahfdlstrlctTOwn of Pinsk, with a population of 37,000 before the outbreak of the European war, nearly two-thirds of whom were Jew’s, is described in a bulletin Issued by the National Geographic society following the news that the city has been set on fire by the Russians in their effort to drive out the Germans who captured It two years ago. “In the midst of the great swamps through which the Pripet river seeps toward the Dnieper, Pinsk was an important indust rial center at the beginning of the world war, its factories for the manufactureof llussian leather being famous, while Its output of soaps, beer, pottery, lumber-and matches was considerable. “Contrary' to the usual trend of progress, railroads have caused Pinsk’s commerce to decline, for when the steel arteries of trade began to thread the poliessie (forest land) district of the of Minsk~tKqr diverted much of the water-borne traffic, which formerly passed through this town. Pinsk was an exchange point for trade with Germany and Poland ria the DnieperBug canal, with the fertile Dneiper valley via the Pripet river, and with the Baltic provinces and the Niemen river valley vja the Oginsky canal.

railroad and the leading citizens in the states through which the railroad runs have paused long' enough from the stress and cares of the world war to pay this tribute to sentiment, for the reason that this year marks a half century slr#e the audacity and courage of Oekes Ames anti Oliver Ames brought the mountains to the will of man. When the rails of the Union Pacific were first spiked to the ties over Sherman pass, at a height of over 8,000 feet, the work was considered one of the womiera of the world. A facetious cific railroad as “the Colossus of Rhodes,” and one of the famous railroad men of that day, speaking of the task Oakes Ames had undertaken, said: “Only a madman would try such a job.” - Today this pass Is the lowest in the ilocfcy mountains and known to railroad engineers as an “easy grade.” At the same time that the Ames monument Is being moved to a new pedestai. engineers for the Union Pacific railroad are driving a second tunnel under the mountain at the top of Sherman pass, thus without fuss, and as though In the ordinary course of events, building the first double-track across the Rockiesm^tha..highest continuous piece of double-track in the world. These two events, the driving of the new tunnel. aud the relocating of the Ames monument, are in the nature of celebrations of the great work of these pioneer railroad builders, and it is fitting also that it should be done in this war-year, because the Union Pacific railroad was America’s first and only military railroad. Monument of Granite. The Ames monument Is built of granite in the form of a pyramid, 60 feet square at the base and- 60 feet high. It will be taken down a stone at a time and” carried on —wagons and “snowboats" across the five inTTes of mountain crest to Its new site, just east of the station at Sherman. On one side of the monument Is a bronze medallion of Oliver Ames, on the other a medallion of Oakes Ames. Mr. Oliver Ames of Boston, grandson of the great railroad builder of the same name, who visited the site of the monument some years ago, said after his visit: “The carving on the medallion on the northwest side is somewhat worn from facing the storms for nearly forty years, but the one of Oakes Ames on the southwest side is in just as good condition as it was when It came from Evans’ shop on Huntington avenue.”

“Since 1872 the Russian government has been more or less active in reclaiming much of the swamp land which surrounds Pinsk, and it was, estimated that 20 years ago fully 8,000,000 acres had been drained at a cost of not more than 3 shillings to the acre. This drained land increased in value from 4 rubles to 28 rubles per dessyatin (equivalent to 2.7 acres). “Pinsk is situated on the Pina river, a tributary of the Pripet, and is 105 miles by rail east of Brest-Lltovsk. Minsk, the capital of the province or ‘government’ of Minsk, is 196 miles to the northeast by rail. Has Been Ravaged by War. “Pinsk first figured In the chronicles of medieval Europe at the end of the eleventh century, when It was a possession of a prince of Kiev. In the folTo’OTFcenWFlr'Ws annexed t<> the principality of Minsk, and after the Mongol invasion of 1232 it became the chief town of- its own principality. “The present war is not the first occasion when Pinsk has been ravaged by fire and sword. During the terrible uprising of the Cossacks under Bogdan Chmielnfcki. Instigator of the indescribably horrible ‘serfs’ fury,’ It was captured by the Poles, and 14,000 of its people were, put to the swprd and the? torch applied to 5,000 homes. Less than a decade later (1648) it wasburned by the Russians, just as in the .present—catastrophe. Thencajne -Charles Nil—s B—years-inter, and reduced both the townand its suburbs to ashes, for the third time. “Pinsk became a Russian town in

Big Saving in Coal.

The New York, New Haven & Hartford. which has taken off 199 ’ passenger trains, Is thereby saving, each week, 2.054 tons of coal, .equal to an annual saving of 106.828 tons. As two tons of coal will warin a family of five persons a long time, It Is estimated that by reason of this economy of train service nearly 270,000 persons could be kept comfortable during the coming winter.

HOME TOWN HELPS

GOOD SCREENS CHEAPEST Expert Says Copper Wire, Although More Costly, Will Outlast Iron Many Times. That it does not pay to use cheap Iron screens on any -building more valuable than a chicken house, is the opinion of Dr. J. D. Walters, professor of architecture and <lrawing in the Kansas State Agricultural college. Persons erecting new dwellings should equip them with screens that win last many years, he says. "An average two-story house contains upwards of two dozen openings that should be screened,” said Doctor The best screens are made of a strong white pine sash and a copper wire screening. Another grade Is made of fir lumber and a screen material made of a composition called white metal. The cheaper grades are made of yellow Southern pine and covered with common iron-wire screening. 2 - “The first screen npmed Is rather expensive on account of the high price of copper, but lt does not need to be painted, and should last 12 years. The Iron wire screen, on the other hand, will rust out the first season and rarely lasts more than two or three years. “A screen door should be made with a hardwood sash and should be provided with the best kind of spring hinges and a knob lock. There should be sufficient cross rails and cross braces in it to prevent sagging. The window screens are usually fastened at the top by cheap black varnished butts and are hooked at the hottom with a cheap hasp and staple.”

WILL TRAIN CITY MANAGERS

Kansas State University Establishes Course Which Is First of the - Kind In This Country. Kansas is preparing to establish tn its state university a four-year course in city management, the first of its kind to be established in the country. When a man, or a woman either, is graduated from this course he will have had thorough training in every department of city affairs except politics, and will go out to help run cities as a trained man goes Into a factory or business. Prof. F. W. Blackmar, who is head of the economics department and has been instructed to prepare 4he details of the course, bad this to say concerning the need for such a school: “No man can manage a business unless he has a thorough understanding of its nature. The man who manages a city ought to be as experienced as an engineer, or a teacher. Why cannot universities train men for managing cities as well as if can for other professions? That is what we propose to do. The course of study for training city managers should be about onehalf the ordinary classroom and lecture work and the rest laboratory investigation into the actual needs of municipal operation.” ‘

Pretty Exterior Finish Effects.

Beveled siding, shingles and brick are used to finish the ekterior of many houses now. The combination of these materials does not produce a patch finish, but they harmonize beautifully. The brick are used in the foundation walls from grade to the sills, and in the porch railing wall. The sides of the house are finished with beveled siding up to the second floor, and with shingles the rest of the way to the roof. If the shingles are stained some fairly dark tint and the beveled siding is painted some light color or. white, with the window sash dark, the effect produced is very pleasing.

Trade Development Profitable.

The competition of cities to secure trade for their manufacturers, wholesalers and jobbers is particularly keen. The development of package car service, the expediting of merchandise, the extension of trade territory through co-operative effort in shipments and the covering of the qulck'ad-’ justment of claims, the generating of enthusiasm for certain v communities as trade centers —this work is vigorously and persistently carried on by chambers of commerce, with field secretaries. trade magazines and trade trips, and the money spent in this work returns a hundred fold in new accounts and Increased orders.

Retail Interests Benefited.

Through chamber of commerce work the retail interests in a community are brought together to work together for Improvement in local methods of merchandising. for - and - elimination, of “fly-by-night” concerns and fraudulent advertisers. Credit bureaus are often maintained, and truthful advertising is a thing insisted upon. Universal trading eondltlons locally are considered and worked out, not only for the protection of the retail stores, but for the protection of the customer. - AIHKIL .

House Numbers on Curbs.

The house ’numbers at Pasadena, Cal., are placed on the curb in front of each residence, conspicuous numbers being placed on a white rectangle. At the street crossing the names i streets are painted on the curbs.