| Keeping pace with the Army
since its inception in 1776 to World War II in 1945 is the military
"neighborhood store" - now known as the "PX" to
every GI everywhere. But it is a far cry from the "Sutlers"
civilians who sold their wares as traveling camp followers, to the
modern Army Exchange Service, whose sales amount to nearly half a
million dollars monthly in Camp Atterbury alone.
While there has been on break in the
continuity of service, the manner and type of that service show wide
variations. The "Sutlers" who made fabulous profits for
90 years were abolished by Congress in 1866, and licensed post traders
authorized. However they were not found adequate, so various posts
formed social clubs or "canteens" which proved so successful
that the post traders were abolished in 1893.
In 1895, the Secretary of War established
the first post exchange, of which Army Exchanges, as we know then today,
are lineal descendents. The order stated that "Post Exchanges
will combine the features of reading and recreation rooms, a cooperative
store and a restaurant. It's primary purpose is to supply the troops at
reasonable prices with the articles of ordinary use, wear and
consumption not supplied by the government, and to afford them means of
rational recreation and amusement.
The basic framework remained unchanged
until the creation of the Army Exchange Service in 1941, resulting in
uniform merchandising control, standardization of accounting methods and
more effective supervision. This meant that the PX's were no
longer independent camp units, but a part of a "national chain
store" system designed to provide the GI with better service and
merchandise at lower cost.
The exchange service at Camp Atterbury
operates 15 exchange stores and branches; three cafeterias and
fountains; three guest houses; four Prisoner of War canteens;
warehouses, concessions and one large garage. The volume of
business of the PX's compares with that of a large department store in a
large city.
The PX system here is a large business organization
with 400 civilian employees and 70 enlisted men who work during their
off-duty hours. Maj. Murray B. Frazee is Exchange officer and
Capt. David A. Gillespie, assistant Exchange officer. Working under
their supervision are more than a score of managers, buyers and
department heads. And like any large merchandising establishment,
the Exchange is divided into various departments - accounting,
purchasing, merchandising, operating, personnel, warehouse, and
maintenance.
A GI-Business
The Camp Atterbury is strictly a
GI-Business. It's prices are kept low through volume purchasing
and profits or dividends are turned over to company funds or the Post
Trust Fund to finance welfare and recreational activities. An
Exchange Council, composed of the Exchange officer and three other
officers representing organizations here, determine the general policy
of operation.
The Exchange system does not compete with
civilian stores in neighboring towns. Sales are restricted to soldiers,
their dependents, and post civilian employees. The civilians are
allowed to only buy merchandise that is consumed on the premises.
Like many other activities on the post,
the Exchange began operations in the red brick farmhouse located on the
corner of Schoolhouse Road and Edinburg Street, in June, 1942. On
July 10 the first PX was opened and by October, 1942 there were 10
stores in operation, doing approximately a business of $125,000
monthly.
Since those early days, the organization
has expanded by leaps and bounds, and today, nearly all the
revenue-producing activities on the post are operated or managed by the
Exchange or rented to concessionaires. The concessions include
barber shops, tailor shop, dry cleaning shop and photo studio.
Typical Month.
Taking February as a typical month, the
following statistics show the amount of business transacted: totaling
nearly half a million dollars monthly.
15 PXs and branches - $294,000; three
cafeterias and fountains - $45,000; four PW canteens - $55,000; soft drinks
and popcorn concessions in theaters - $2,000; soft drink and candy
vending machines - $11,000; concessionaires - $ 21,000; three guest
houses - $3,000; service station and garage - $2,500; and wholesale
sales to military organizations - $50,000.
The typical PX is divided into four
departments - food and drink, candy and supplies, barber shops and cleaners.
Nation-wide rationing has affected the amount of merchandise available
and therefore candy, cigarettes, cigars, films and other items are
limited in sales. Every effort is made to obtain what the soldier
wants or a suitable substitute.
Cafeterias-Fountains
The three Service Club cafeterias and adjoining
fountains are open during the same hours as the clubs except that the
cafeterias have fixed periods for regular meals. The fountains
provide snacks for in-between meals and late evenings - just like the
corner drugstore at home.
The guest houses provide
"hotel" accommodations for visitors of enlisted personnel.
Reservations must be made in advance by the soldier in person. The
rate is 50 cents per person with a limit of three nights per person.
Recently the Exchange opened a service
station and garage on Burnside and 17th Streets. Approximately 400
cars monthly are repaired and serviced by the unit in addition to doing maintenance
work on the vehicles owned and operated by the Exchange. Also the
Exchange operates a series of warehouses for the PXs, cafeterias and
maintenance work. The huge warehouses keep supplies on hand to
insure against unnecessary shortages.
100% for War Bonds
The employees of the Exchange are doing
their part in "backing the attack", with war bonds, too, with
100% participation, investing 12.8 percent of their pay. Also,
Exchange employees carry group insurance, covering sickness, accident,
and life benefits. The Exchange pays half of the cost, and during
the past year, claims have been paid covering weekly indemnities,
hospitalization, and death.
Officer's Background
The Exchange officers are both
"early settlers" of Atterbury, having come here in June,
1942. Maj. Frazee arrived first and it was his job to set up the
present organization. Within a month after his arrival, the Maj.
had his first PX in operation - PX No. 1 on Gatling and 29th Streets.
Maj. Frazee served in World War I with
the 30th Infantry Division spending 16 months overseas. He
returned to active duty in April, 1942, attended the Army Exchange
Service School at Ft. Meade, Md., and before coming to Atterbury
was stationed at Ft. Knox, Ky.
In civilian life he was store manager for
G. C. Murphy Company, Gettysburg, Pa., and now resides in Columbus, Ind.
He's extremely interested in the war in the pacific since his son, a lieutenant
commander, is a submarine commander. A daughter, Betty, a WAC
sergeant, is attending a physical therapy OCS at Lawson General
Hospital.
Capt. Gillespie's civilian background as
an accountant is used to good advantage in his role as assistant
Exchange officer. First commissioned in the reserves in 1927, the
captain was called to active duty in March, 1942. He reported to
the Finance School at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, but before his course was
completed, he was assigned to Ft. Hayes, Ohio as 5th Corps Area Exchange
auditor.
He was on hand when the first PX opened
and has been present at all others since. Before the war, he made
his home at Muncie, Ind., but now resides with hsi wife, son and
daughter at Hope, Ind. He is a native of Ogden, Ill., and his
hobby is farming. |
|
PX Managers and
Assistants Take Time Out From Duties For a Picture
Post Exchange Managers and Assistants are: l-r; 1st row, Juanita
Sexton, asst mgr. No.1, Edinburg; Margaret Thomas, asst mgr. No. 12,
Columbus; Dolph A. Beck, Mgr., No. 13, Columbus; F. L. Erwood, Mgr. No.
10, Columbus; B. A. Drake, Mgr. No. 1, Columbus; Pauline A. Dunlap, asst.
Mgr. No. 16, Franklin; Lois Moffatt, Mgr. No. 10, Edinburg; Burdette
Moffatt, Asst. Mgr. No. 5, Edinburg; Hal LeMasters, Mgr. No. 18, Franklin
Second row: William C. Moore, Asst. Mgr. No. 5, Edinburg; William
Thurman, Asst. Mgr. No. 15, Whiteland; John Russell, Asst. Mgr. No. 3,
Franklin; Mark T. Demaree, Mgr. No. 7, Franklin; Austin Terrell, Mgr. No.
3, Franklin; Dale W. Brown, Mgr. No. 12, Franklin; Raymond Lefebrvre,
Asst. Mgr. No. 13, Shelbyville; Claude Hubbard, Asst. Mgr. No. 8,
Taylorsville; Wilbur Routh, Mgr. No. 5, Columbus.
Third Row: Leonard Woody,
Asst. Mgr. No. 7, Franklin; Lowell Barrows, Mgr, No. 15, Taylorsville; W.
E. Franklin, Mgr. No. 9, Franklin; Clyde W. Smith, Sr., Mgr. No. 8,
Edinburg;
Fourth Row: John N.
Griggs, Asst. Mgr. No. 6, Edinburg; Paul C. Baker, Asst. Mgr. No. 6,
Franklin; Harry Hege, Mgr. No. 6, Columbus; Lester Rowell, Mgr. No. 16,
Franklin; Albert Phillips, Asst. Mgr. No. 3, Franklin |
