ARMY & NAVY: New Blues

ARMY & NAVY

The War Department last week told the public about the first major change in army dress since “O. D.” (olive drab) was introduced during the Spanish-American War. A new uniform, slate blue in color, looser in cut, with canvas leggings instead of rolled puttees, shirts open at the neck instead of a close collar and necktie is to be issued for trial by a few units. Reasons for the change, said the army, were comfort, lower visibility, economy.

The present olive drab army material has long posed a procurement problem. Because O. D. must be woven from fibres of seven different colors, few mills are able to supply it and large batches often have to be rejected by inspectors as off color. Slate blue, however, which requires only one color blue fibre and one white, can be manufactured by most textile mills, a big advantage which makes them both cheaper and more easily procurable in emergencies. The army hopes that the cheaper slate blues will save enough money so that eventually doughboys can be provided with braided navy blue dress uniforms as well. Still on a strictly experimental basis, the new blues will be introduced in each of the nine corps areas as replacement needs arise, and after a year’s trial will be adopted or rejected.