Big Improvements Made in Army

Colts

An improved model of the Colt Automatic pistol, model of 1911, has been approved by the Ordnance Department, U. S. Army, according to The American Rifleman of May 1. A number of pistols of the improved model were recently tested by the Cavalry Board at Fort Riley and were reported upon favorably.

The most important change from the old model is the bringing of the mainspring housing to the rear, making a hump which fits into the soft part of the palm of the hand, and has the effect of not only giving a better grip on the pistol but of tipping the barrel up so that the shooter instinctively points to the object he wishes to hit. The mainspring housing, in addition, has been checked so as to prevent slipping when the hand is moist. The tang of the grip safety has been brought to the rear, so that it fits over the portion of the hand between the thumb and forefinger and prevents pinching of the skin when the slide recoils. The trigger itself has been cut back approximately onequarter inch and the sides of the receiver, just back of the trigger, cut away. This enables the average shooter to grip the trigger with the second joint of his forefinger without assuming a strained position. The front of the trigger has also been checked

to afford a better grip. The width of the top of the front sight has been increased from 038 inches to .058 inches, the width of the front sight on National Match pistols for the past four years.

In order to improve the accuracy of the pistol by giving the bullet a slightly tighter fit in the bore than at present, which was accomplished in the National Match ammunition last year by increasing the diameter of the bullet by .0005 inches, the maximun} land diameter in the new pistols has been reduced by .002 inches and the depth of the grooves increased by .0005 inches.

"Babe," King of Swat, Signs Dotted Line

The enlistment of "Babe" Ruth Yankee home run star, as a private in the 104th Field Artillery, N. Y. N. G., on May 21 was made the occasion of a big demonstration by the 104th. He was sworn in by the commanding officer of the regiment in front of the tent used as recruiting headquarters for the outfit, which was located in the center of Times Square, New York City.

On the west side of the aisle of safety on which the tent was located were drawn up two 6-horse teams, each with a gun wagon carrying a French 75 mm. gun, and in front of the tent was another 75. "Babe" put his enlistment paper on the barrel of this latter gun while he signed his name, then jumped upon one of the lead horses and sat there for several minutes while an army of photographers snapped him. The enlistment of the King of Swat evoked a great deal of favorable publicity for the regiment.

Aviation Primeval

Lieut. Col. F. P. Lahm, one of the first two officers of the United States Army to be taught to fly in an airplane, writes in United States Air Service of the pioneers of aircraft and their ships. He says:

"My first meeting with the Wright brothers was in the summer of 1907, when my father, who had become interested in them and their work a couple of years before, brought them to see me at St. Germain, outside of Paris. At that time they had completed their trial flights at Kitty Hawk and Dayton, knew they had a machine that could fly, and were looking for a purchaser. Our own Government was not interested, and foreign governments were decidedly lukewarm; to tell the truth, they were somewhat skeptical as to the Wrights' having flown at all.

"Fortunately, our own Government had a change of heart, and a contract was awarded to the Wrights in January, 1908, for a machine that was to make forty miles an hour, remain in the air an hour, carry two persons, and maneuver easily. "While Wilbur Wright was demon

strating a machine in France, Orville brought one to Fort Myer in the summer of 1908, set it up, and flew it. The aviator of today will smile when he knows that the motor was a thirty horsepower one with no carburetor; the airplane had no cockpit, pilot and passenger sitting on the leading edge of the lower wing with feet on a bar out in air; no wheels underneath, it started from a monorail under the impetus of the two propellers and a falling weight, and landed on two long skids."

The First Training Camp

The first "training camp" mentioned in history, according to the 91st Division Summer Camper of May 1, was one held in Ireland in the 3rd century. The small kingdoms of the country were going about each with a chip on its shoulder, and so, in order to prevent tribal wars, a gentleman named Finn MacCool instituted a "training camp," in which the candidates were given opportunity to attain a standard as men-at-arms. In addition they were bound to be respectful toward women, gentle to children, honest and truthful with men, and obedient to their Clan Chief. The members of this body, which was called The Fianna (Feenya), were said to possess all the miltary and civic virtues.

R. A. Units Not to Account for Reserve Officers

Reserve officers assigned or attached to organizations of the Regular Army will not be carried on monthly rosters nor accounted for on monthly strength returns of those organizations, according to a ruling of the Adjutant General under date of May 3. In addition, Regular Army organizations are not required to keep the individual records of the Reserve officers assigned or attached to them, except as provided in paragraph 171, special regulations 43, War Department, 1921.

Chlorine Treatment Helps President

Among the most recent converts to the Army method of curing colds painlessly is President Calvin Coolidge, who, suffering with a severe cold, took the Army chlorine gas treatment, with which medical officers have been experimenting successfully for several months, on May 20. He did this on the recommendation of Secretary of War Weeks, who had been cured as a result of the treatment. The President sat in an air-tight room at the Army dispensary for 45 minutes while the treatment was being administered, read

ing reports and studying the Immigration Bill the while. He was so much benefited that he returned for a second treatment the following day, accompanied by Mrs. Coolidge.

The President said that he felt greatly relieved as a result of the gas treatment, and his voice and general appearance as noted later by callers at the Executive Office bore out his remarks. What ch'efly impressed him was the fact that the weakness and general depression that followed the development of the cold had totally disappeared.

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The Perils of Peace Memories of war days were recently recalled in the town of Pleuharnel, France, according to the Canadian Military Gazette of May 13, when it was bombarded by long range A French naval guns. heavy coast battery which was testing cannon made a mistake in aiming and sent several shells crashing into the center of the village, 15 miles from the scene of the firing. There were no casualties but the population was frightened.

Fortune Goes Monthly to Foreign Veterans. Checks amounting to approximately $615,086 are sent to 81 foreign countries every month by the U. S. Veterans' Bureau to meet the insurance and compensation claims of men who were American soldiers in the World War. Italy leads with a total of 2,853 insurance checks and 2,710 compensation checks, amounting to $223,615. Poland comes second with a total of 1,703 checks. Former service men or their dependents residing in Germany are being compensated for their injuries or losses in amounting to $3,440, and those in Austria to $1,040. According to General Frank T. Hines, Director of the Bureau, checks are forwarded to every civilized country in the world.

sums

Alaskan Cable Project Under Way

The cable ship Delwood, carrying half of the new Alaska cable, left Seattle for Ketchikan on May 9, according to the Chilkoot Post of that date.

U. S. to Get Fokker Factory Fokker planes are to be built in the U. S. in the near future by the Atlantic Aircraft Corporation, which has leased for this purpose the Wittemann plant at Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. They will be constructed from the designs of the inventor, Anthony H. G. Fokker, who will spend a considerable part of his time in this country.

On most of the long air routes in Europe, Fokker planes are being used for the carrying of passengers, mail and merchandise. The safety record of these planes since 1920 is 100 per cent, and the mileage flown over three and one-half million miles.

German Howitzers Possible F. A.

Equipment

The breech recess on the 105 mm. German howitzer has been changed so as to take American ammunition, according to the Field Artillery Journal, and in recent experiments the gun has worked satisfactorily. The Field Artillery board has recommended that one battery at Fort Benning, one at Fort Bragg, and one at Fort Sill be equipped with this gun for further experimental work and that all these howitzers be recalled from salvage parks and put into good condition as funds become available.

vassers

(Continued from Page Six) Colonel Charlton, Recruiting Officer of the 8th Corps Area, has these few but meaty words to say relative to his best recruiter in March: "Sgt. Albert Ashcraft is stationed at a tent in San Jacinto Plaza in El Paso, Texas. No office space is used, as El Paso is worked from Fort Bliss, Texas. Sgt. Ashcraft's excellent results are obtained not by location, but by his sincere efforts and length of time devoted to his duties."

Sgt. Paul B. Cunningham, who headed the District of Washington in March, is on door duty when not engaged otherwise, but he is engaged otherwise most of the time. All except applicants in Washington are sent to the Headquarters Company, D. of W., in another part of the city, for quarters and rations prior to transfer to other stations. Sgt. Cunningham looks after the property clearance in each individual case, secures travel orders from District Headquarters for all applicants, takes them to the depot, secures their transportation, and puts them on the train. In his spare time he takes care of all "A" boards-no inconsiderable job in itself. The rest of the time, which is necessarily very short, he recruits.

The recruiting officer for the 9th Corps Area, in commenting on the work of Pfc. T. D. Vernon, leading recruiter for the 9th Corps Area in March, states that different men have led the canvassers in the 9th Corps Area for each of the first three months of this year. Canvassers in Los Angeles remain at a station only a week at a time, so that, depending on the number of men on duty, every canvasser in the city serves at every station and thus gets an equal chance at the better as well as the poorer locations. This prevents good men from becoming discouraged through feeling that they are hampered by an inferior location, and it also prevents poor canvassers from excusing lack of results by the same reason. Good men who are willing to work, Major Pearce, the C. A. R. O., remarks, feel that this system gives all an even break, so that incompetent and lazy men show up and are weeded out.

A summing-up of results indicates that, in spite of the opinion held by a great many persons, the rotation system, as relates at least to the choice stations, is already overwhelmingly in vogue. And, what is more, in the majority of cases the men whose names are known to us through their frequent appearance in the Honor Roll columns have had to work each month to keep them there.

(Continued from Page Seven) Since the war the 44th, 1st, 32nd, and 59th Regiments of Infantry have in turn been stationed here. At present the post is garrisoned by Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Infantry Brigade, and the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 7th Infantry, one of the oldest regiments in the United States Army.

The 7th Infantry was organized under an Act of Congress in July, 1798, and was first under fire at Tippecanoe, near the present city of Lafayette, Indiana. This regiment has participated in active combat in every war involving troops of the United States Army since it was organized. The staff of the regimental colors bears 39 silver rings, emblematic of engagements participated in by the regiment. In June, 1917, soon after the opening of the World War, the 7th Infantry was ordered to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where it had fought many years before, but this time for a different purpose, to recruit and prepare for service in France. In November, 1917, the 7th was assigned to the 3rd Division, and sailed from Hoboken, New Jersey, April 6, 1918, arriving in Brest, France, on April 15. While in France the regiment participated with credit to itself and the Army in the Aisne, Chateau-Thierry, Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. After serving almost a year with the American Army of Occupation in Germany it returned to the United States.

It seems only fitting that this regiment, with its long and honorable traditions, should be stationed at such a post as Vancouver Barracks. Vancouver Barracks is within the city of Vancouver, Washington, and but twenty minutes is required to arrive by street car in Portland, Ore

gon.

The post is modern in every way, is provided with an excellent gymnasium and athletic field, tennis courts, hand-ball courts, and a splendid golf course. In addition a service club and a picture show are maintained for the enlisted men.

About sixteen miles northwest of the Barracks is another Government reservations used as a target range and maneuver ground, with an area of about three thousand acres, which abounds in wild game. Flowing through this reservation is a mountain stream which affords excellent fishing. During hunting season the commanding officer opens the reservation to officers and enlisted men who desire to fish and hunt.

Honors Author of Star Spangled Banner

(Continued from Page Three)

the government and the people of the United States are grateful and appreciative. Francis Scott Key represented the feelings and the loyalty of his fellow countrymen. You represent the patriotism of over a hundred million American citizens of today. With such loyalty and such patriotism, animated with the same keen desire for national protection which animated Francis Scott Key, this nation will live forever, and those principles of free government which it was founded to insure will be everlastingly maintained.

Twenty-four Hours in Panama

(Continued from Page Five) sections of the city and saw the native children scampering half naked through the crowded narrow streets. What impressed us most was that, regardless of the squalor of the section we were in, nowhere in Panama did we encounter single fly or mosquito. Therein lies the secret of the building of the Canal, something showing the efficiency of the U. S. Army when g ven a job to do.

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I don't suppose you knew-I didn'tthat U. S. Army doctors rid this country of yellow fever and malaria and that U. S. Army Engineers planned the work and built the canal after the French had worked eight years and failed, and after two of the best civilian engineers in the U. S. had quit the job, one after another. President Roosevelt then said, "Well, the Army doesn't quit-we'll give the job to them." And the result is the Panama Canal-an everlasting tribute to Uncle Sam's Army. But I don't believe most Americans realize it.

Just before reaching the "Cambrai" we passed half a dozen native women, black as the night about them, with crudely built stands alongside the street. By the flickering o'l torch of the first one we noticed that she had bananas and mangoes for sale. Here went the last of our wealth. For 15 cents a dozen we bought bananas that would melt in your mouth. These had ripened on the trees and were simply great. You could hardly recognize them as the same fruit we get back in the States.

We climbed aboard and turned in our passes at the gangplank a few minutes before the dead line at 11 p. m. The sentry examined our pockets for liquor as there were orders against bringing it aboard.

Tomorrow morning at 7 we start through the great Canal. I'll tell you all about it in my next letter. Your loving son,

RICHARD.

I

DESIRE to invite your attention to the fact that existing law, as construed by an opinion of the Attorney General in his letter to this office under date of March 20, 1924, makes it mandatory on the War Department to accept enlistments in the Army for one or three-year periods, at the option of the soldier. The pertinent part of the National Defense Act, as amended, reads as follows:

"Section 27-ENLISTMENTSHereafter original enlistments in the Regular Army shall be for a period of one or three years, at the option of the soldier, and re-enlistments shall be for a period of three years

* * *""

Prior to the receipt of the Attorney General's opinion of March 20, 1924, it had been the general policy of the War Department, for a period of approximately two years, to reject for original enlistment those persons who elected the one-year period. This action was based on an opinion of the Judge Advocate General of the Army rendered October 22, 1921. The acceptance of original enlistments for the one-year period was resumed March 27, 1924.

I am of the opinion that one-year enlistments are objectionable at present, primarily for two reasons: first, the additional cost and second, the inability of short-term men, through

lack of military experience and training, to perform the duties of instructors with other components of the Army, as well as their inability to take their appropriate part in maintaining Regular Army units as models in efficiency for demonstration and other purposes.

In attempting to make an estimate of the additional cost to the Government of accepting three enlistments for a oneyear period each, rather than a single enlistment for a three-year period, several factors enter. The one-year plan practically triples the expense incident to obtaining recruits and transporting them to the units to which assigned. The same is true with reference to allowances for mileage on discharge. In addition, the clothing allowance is considerably greater in the case of three enlistments for one year each. It is estimated that the annual difference in cost to the Government in accepting three enlistments for one year, rather than one enlistment

Copy of letter from the Secretary of War addressed to Senator Wadsworth and Congressman McKenzie, Chairmen of the Military Affairs Committees, on oneyear enlistments.

and increased need for transportation facilities would result from the adoption of such a system.

In view of the above, I urgently recommend the enactment of legislation amending the first sentence of Section 27, National Defense Act, as amended by the Act of June 4, 1920, to read:

"Hereafter original enlistments in the Regular Army shall be for a pe riod of one or three years, as may be prescribed by the Secretary of War, and re-enlistments shall be for a period of three years."

But a small percentage of the enlisted personnel re-enlist immediately upon completion of their initial enlistments; less than one-half of one per cent

CATHEDRAL, OLD PANAMA

complete thirty years' service. It is plain that the training of the newly joined recruit and the general efficiency of organizations must fall largely on men serving in their first enlistment periods. One-year men, whose useful terms of service to the Government are actually further shortened by the time consumed in travel to join organizations, can not be expected to be sufficiently well trained to instruct other components of the Army. Neither can it be expected that Regular Army units themselves will be adequately trained in their duties, unless a large proportion of the enlisted personnel of those units is composed of men of over one year's service.

Another point to be considered in connection with this subject is the sending of one-year men to overseas garrisons. A constant shifting of personnel on foreign service, loss of the soldier's time en route to and from the United States,

Mr. Simon Newton, of the U. S. Engineer office at Detroit, recently tabulated the Christian names of the 13,751 officers listed in the latest Army Register, and

published his findings to the world. Many interesting things were noted. For instance, the 920 Johns, 907 Willliams, 633 Charles, 550 James, 20 Wilburs, and 24 Patricks or Percys, as choice decress, listed in the book, are sufficient in themselves to comprise the full war strength of an Infantry regiment, enlisted and commissioned personnel included.

Mr. Newton's count is as follows:

John 920, William 907, Charles 633, James 550, George 540, Robert 374, Thomas 306, Frank 284, Henry 275, Joseph 268, Edward 259, Harry 249, Walter 189, Arthur 181, Paul 150, Frederick 145, Harold 144, Richard 139, Francis 137, Albert 136, Samuel 121, Edwin 117, Ralph 104, Clarence 99, Herbert 97, Louis 96, David 95, Fred 80, Howard, Raymond 76 each, Alfred 75, Alexander, Benjamin 73 each, Ernest 71, Donald 68, Daniel, Hugh 67 each, Eugene 66, Carl Roy, 65 each, Philip 64, Lewis 61, Edgar, Lawrence 57 each, Oscar 55, Earl 48, Theodore 43, Edmund 39, Clyde, Lloyd, Russell 38 each, Guy, Oliver 37 each, Claude, Clifford, Kenneth 36 each, Leonard 34, Eimer, Horace, Jesse 33 each, Allen, Harvey, Ray, 32 each, Chester, Leslie 31 each, Andrew, Lester 30 each, Peter, Stanley 29 each, Norman Willis 28 each, Michael 27, Jacob 26, Bernard, Leon, Stephen, Wallace 25 each, Douglas, Franklin, Frederic, Herman, Patrick, Percy 24 each, Everett, Ira, Leo, Martin, Sidney 33 each, Floyd, Gordon, Otto, Victor 22 each, Lee 21, Homer, Maurice, Wilbur 20 each.