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VOL. 1.
Edward Tomlinson, Camp Secretary
Army Young Men’s Christian Association, Goes to Bayonne, N. J.
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To conduct Army Young Men's
Christian Association work in a camp
of 35,000 soldiers is in itself a difficult
task, but to organize the work from
the beginning, erect suitable buildings,
secure a capable personnel and outline
and introduce the activities, is indeed
an undertaking of huge proportions.
This, however, has been successfully
accomplished by Mr. Edward Tomlin
son, who leaves Camp Hancock this
week after having been camp secretary
since August Ist, 1917.
Arriving here at a time when scrub
oak and cotton covered the site of
Camp Hancock, Mr. Tomlinson secur
ed locations, procured the contractor,
and after some delay got the lumber
and yet in reasonable time erected five
buildings, besides an administration
building. It was soon found that these
buildings were insufficient to handle
the crowds of men who took advantage
of the facilities offered; the buildings
were more popular with the soldiers
than had been anticipated. It was
therefore necessary to erect two new
buildings and a third is now nearing
completion. A tent has also been
erected for the use of one corps, and
some service has been rendered to the
ordnance oerps at the Arsenal.
Mr. Tomlinson's genial personality
has enabled him to conduct the work
without friction. He has received the
hearty support and co-operation from
the military authorities, and has en
deared himself to many people in Au
gusta.
Before going into army work Mr.
Tomlinson was secretary of Industrial
Ydung Men’s Christian Associations
for almost eighteen years. After
leaving Springfield and Northfield
schools he became secretary of the Big
Four Railway Association at Lindale,
and later of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Association at Cleveland. Nine years
ago he went to Wilmerding to be
come secretary of the large Young
Men’s Christian Association main
tained by the Westinghouse Air Brake
Company. There is a building worth
$160,000 turned over for the use of the
employes of the company. There are
3,000 members, including 450 foreign
ers, who have a separate building. This
work for foreigners is quite fascinat
ing, providing baths, physical exer
cise, English classes, classes,
classes in citizenship, band prac
tice, and musical instruction, both
vocal and instrumental. It is not only
cosmopolitan but comprehensive in its
scope of activities. The principal as
sociation has an excellent gymnasium,
a marble-tile swimming pool, 25x75
feet, bowling alleys, pool rooms and
a large auditorium with moving pic-
ture machine in place. An evening
school of more than 5,0000 students is
maintained each year; numerous Bible
classes for young men and boys are
also carried on and the shop meetings
are largely attended, one of them hav
ing an average attendance each week
of 350 industrial workers.
Mr. Tomlinson leaves Camp Han
cock to become general secretary of an
industrial association at Bayonne, N.
J., maintained by the Standard Oil
Company and other corporations locat
ed there. Plans have been drawn for
a $250,000 building which will be
erected immediately. As 75 per cent
or more of the employes of the differ
ent corporations are foreign-born,
there will be enough unusual problems
to keep him out of mischief.
The secretaries at Camp Hancock
regret Mr. Tomlinson's going, and as a
little remembrance of their relation
ships presented him with a traveling
bag.
BRIG. GEN. WEIGLE TO
COMMAND 56TH BRIGADE
Brigadier General William Wcigle ar
rived at Camp Hancock Monday morn
ing and immediately reported for assign
ment to duty upon which he promptly as
sumed command of the Fifty-sixth In
fantry Brigade, which is practically made
up of Western Pennsylvania boys.
General Weigle comes to Camp Han
cock from Camp Devins, Dyer, Mass.,
where he was during the absence of the
commanding general in command of the
camp. He is a very efficient officer and
holds a commission in the regular army.
He succeeds Brig. Gen. Albert J. Lo
gan, of Pittsburg, who was honorably dis
charged a month or more ago for physical
disabilities. Since then the brigade has
been commanded by Lieut. Col. Bruce
Gamble ,of th ’ H2i>-:lnfantry.
NEWSPAPER FOR OUR BOYS
IN FRANCE
The first copy of the “Stars and
Stripes’’ has been received from France.
It is an 8-page paper of the usual news
paper size, published weekly for the
American soldiers. Its space is devoted
largely to telling what happens among
them. From all it says, our boys ap
pear to be very comfortable and in good
spirits. As to German propaganda it
gives this advice to the soldiers:
“Beware of the man who, no matter
what his uniform, no matter what his
nationality, comes to you with tales
of Germany’s invincibility, prophecies
that ‘the war will end in a draw,' and
so forth. » * ♦ He is a German pro
pagandist, a spy, a paid liar, and
should be reported and punished as
such.”
MARCH 27, 1918.
A recent visitor to Camp Merritt gives
the following interesting information
. about the activities there:
i Camp Merritt, New Jersey, is located
i in the valley of Overpect Creek, a branch
1 of the Hackensack River, and is seven
-1 teen miles north of Jersey City, and two
miles west of the Palisades of the Hud
son River. It may be reached from New
York City, either by the Erie Railroad
(Northern Railroad of New Jersey) at
Cresskill Station or by the West Shore
Railroad at Dumont Station. Both of
these stations are about one mile from
Camp Merritt.
Camp Merritt is a cantonment which
will accommodate about thirty-five thou
sand troops. Barracks for both officers
and men are two story frame buildings
which are equipped with iron frame cots
and mattresses. The camp is laid out on
the “Block” system and the buildings
lettered according to their use and num
bered in each block. The numbering is
as follows: “F” indicates men’s bar
racks, "K” the mess halls and kitchens,
“P” the latrine, “LL” the officers’ quar
ters, “E” the regimental or other office
buildng; therefore a building designated
as 11-F-28 would be barracks No. 28 in
Block 11, while 6-K-2 would be kitchen
No. 2 in Block 6.
Calls are routine and during the month
of March reveille was at 6:45 a. m., re
treat at 4:45 p. m. and taps at 11 p. m.
The general public is not admitted to
Camp Merritt, but at several of the
main entrances to the camp are located
comfortable Hostess Houses maintained
by the Y. W. C. A. Friends of soldiers
are conducted to these Hostess Houses
and voluntary details of men are secured
from day to day to carry news of their
arrival to the soldiers, who meet their
friends at these houses. The Y. M. C. A.
and Knights of Columbus have each a
very commodious building for their pur
pose in the camp, while other organiza
tions maintain similar entertainment
rooms. There is also a large soldiers'
club house known as “Merritt Hall,” the
equipment of which will compare favor
ably with that of many large clubs.
The serious business of the camp is to
make certain that the troops are fully
fit for embarkation. Careful inspection:-
of property and examinations of men are
made to accomplish this purpose.
While organization commanders arc
held strictly accountable for obtaining be
fore leaving for Camp Merritt all sup
plies which can possibly be procured
there are certain supplies which are not
obtainable at training camps. These
supplies include toilet kit, clothes brushes
and shoe brushes. The supply service
at Camp Merritt is prompt and respons
ive. upplies can, if necessary, be ob
tained at'almost any hour of the day or
night, after an informal requisition has
been submitted to the proper officer.
Motor trucks are almost always avail
able for hauling equipment at the re
quest of a commissioned officer.
Men unfit for foreign service are elim
inated by a thorough weedingout process.
Soldiers born in Germany. Austria-Hun
garv. Turkey 'and Bulgaria are not per
mitted to serve abroad; soldiers suffer
ing from cuable diseases are detained in
Keystone Division is Reviewed By
Major General Bailey
The Twenty-Eighth Division of the
United States Army, encamped at Camp
Hancock, passed in review yesterday
morning at the camp before Major Gen
eral Charles J. Bailey, commander of
Camp Jackson, Columbia, S. C.
The review was one of the greatest ever
staged in any part of America, and Gen
eral Bailey complimented Maj.-Gen. Chas.
H. Muir, commander of the division, upon
the excellent showing made by his men.
It was a great success, and officers gen
erally are pleased.
This is the third review staged by “The
Keystone Division” during the month. At
the two former reviews Secretary of State
Robert Lansing and Senator Willard
Saulsbury, president pro-tem of the
United States Senate, were respectively
complimented. The review yesterday sur
passed any yet staged by the division.
As in the ease of past reviews, staff of
ficers paid strict attention to the vari
ous units and spotted mistakes, which
today were fewer than hitherto, show
ing that the division has profited by cor
rections made since the last review, and
is nearer the perfection required before
the division goes to France.
Thirty thousand men. mostly Pennsyl
vanians, composing the division took
part in the review. Wagon trains motor
trains and, in fact, every divisional unit
was represented. The regulation pace of
130 steps to the minute was maintained
throughout, the men keeping time in ca
dence with the music furnished by reg
imental and other bands in station at
the reviewing stand.
ivotal Points of Interest
Regarding Camp Merritt, N. J.
The day was ideal. At the beginning
of the review the weather had just - a lit
tle chill to it. but as the sun rose and
beamed down upon the marching column
evidence of the summer heat was shown
by the perspiration which beaded the
faces of the soldiers. The boys, howeVer,
say it was just hot enough to feel good.
A feature introduced at the parade
hitherto unnoticed, was tliejjnotorization
of the 108th Field Artillery. The regi
ment a> peared fully motorized, and at
tracted great attention. It was the first
appearance of a motorized artillery unit
at the camp, and occasioned much com
ment. The motorization of the unit was
made possible by the recent gift of four
teen automobiles to the- 108th by Phila
delphians. Since the cars arrived the
mechanics of the organization have been
busily at work, and have succeeded in
motorizing the equipment.
The 103rd Motor Supply Train also ap
peared in the review with new automo
bile trucks. In perfect formation the hew
vehicles presented a formidable and splen
did appearance.
Following the review General Bailey
was tendered a luncheon by Major Gen
eral Muir, at the officers’ mess. The
banquet was a great success, and was a
la mode even to the music, which was
furnished by the 111th Infantry Band.
During the day General Bailey was
shown over the camp. He was much
pleased with the site, location, neatness
and general appearance of the camp,
Hundreds of Augustans and Pennsyl
vania visitors were present as interested
spectators.
this country until cured: and soldiers
who have a permanent disability are dis
charged from the service.
The system of inspection includes the
examination of individual records. Serv
ice records are especially checked to dc
termine whether thy are complete in all
details, have the official number upon the
outside, and show in the proper place the
amount of insurance and allotments in
effect.
It is important not only that the
equipment of officers and men should be
completed as far as possible before ar
rival at Camp Merritt, but also that both
officers and men should take out the full
amount of insurance and make all their
allotments. Experience shows that when
face to face with embarkation for for
eign service soldiers take out the full
amount of Insurance and make additional
allotments to relatives. The postpone
ment of this action until arrival at Camp
Merritt delays the movement.
A few points may be made as to equip
ment. Barrack bags of the men are
marked on the-outside with the soldier’s
name and organization, and inside is
placed a tag of cardboard with the sol
dier’s name, organization, and a list of
the contents. It is advisable that the
soldier should carry in his pack one com
plete change of clothing. Officers must
be fully equipped, and should secure the
“Liberty” belt in preference to the “Sam
Brown”. The former belt has fittings of
bronze instead of the brass fittings of
the Sam Brown Belt and has a row of
holes in the bottom of the belt from
which the pistol or other articles of
equipment may be hung. A very satisfac
tory Liberty Belt can be secured for
eight dollars from the Army and Navy-
Supply Company, 10 West 42d Street
New York City.
In the preparation of the passenger
lists, on the basis of which the troops
are checked aboard ship, the name and
addresses of the person to be notified
in the case of mergency .which appear
opposite the name ofeach officer and man
should be obtained at Camp Merritt from
the soldier rather than from his service
record, so that this information may be
up to date. Identification tags are also
carefully checked.
Only twenty-four hours notice of de
parture from Camp Merritt is usually
given to company commanders, and it is
therefore only the company which has
given hard, systematic attention to its
preparation for the movement, that will
leave thj camp with the commendation
of the camp commander and with con
fidence that it is fully equipped for over
seas service.
BRIG. GEN. O’NEIL
RESIGNS COMMAND
O'Neil, commander of the Fifty-fifth In
fantry Brigade at Camp Hancock, has re
signed and his resignation has been ac
cepted according t*> announcements made
yesterday from division headquarters. He
■will leave immediately for his home in
Allentown, Pa.
AIRPLANE MAILS NEXT MONTH.
The daily airplane mail service between
Washington and New York will start not
later than April 15, the Postmaster Gen
eral says.
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No. 25.