The times., 1901-03-29
A GREAT RUSH TO ENLIST
Recruiting Under the New Army
Reorganization Law.
The Flower of American Manhood
Selected-NInBy Applicants From
the Cities-Scarcity of Officers the
Only drawback. Experienced.

When the Army Reorganization bill be-
came a law. on February ,, 1901, it was
feared that the War Department never
could raise the thousands Of recruits re-
ouired to replace the troops now in the
Philippines. who must be mustered out
by July l. 1t was shown that in an en-
tire month only 300 men had been en-
listed for the navy, and the prediction
was made that it would take years to
fill in the new regiments provided for in
the recent Army Reorganization law.
Strangely enough these predictions
have come 10 naught, and the recruiting
process is going on at a more rapid rate
than ever before. The number of men
recruited in February was 2,129. 1t
is estimated from the returns thus
far that the number of new enlist
mcnts in March will exceed 3,2o0. Thus in
four months no less than 1883 men have
been turned into the army. each coming
within the strict requirements laid down
by the War Department.
The work Cf creating a new army with
in a few months was placed in the hands
-oC Lieut.. Col John A. Johnston. one of
the most efficient officials in the War De-
partmcnt, and how well he has succeeded
is being shown by the figures coming in
daily from the stations all over the coun-
try. Colonel Johnston states that his
only trouble lies in a great lack of Off
GERS TO look out for the men, and he
guarantees all of the regiments that Of
ticers can be secured to command
Il am only waiting for the President to
state just how many men he desires, -
said Colonel Johnston. 'and we viii go
ahead and supply them. l have great
i, .,;.
throughout the United States and | don't
think we viii ever want for good men
The statement Of enlistments during
February, which has just been prepared
furnishes an interesting mass of data as
TO the American Tommy Atkins, who
he is, how he is, and where he comes
from. In the month Of February there
were exactly 10.3S5 Americans TO apply at
recruiting stations for an opportunity to
enter the army. That only 2,729 We're ac-
cepted goes to show the severity Of the
examination and to prove that only the
flower of American manhood has tsen
made a part of the big fighting machine.
OF the number accepted, only 156 We're
colored men. while four were Indians
the balance being white and single.
Oddly enough, the recruits preferred the
infantry to the cavalry by about two to
one. the figures being 1,Se2 foot and 927
mounted.
As to the recruiting points, the majority
Of the men very naturally came out of the
big cities. In New York during the
month 10i3 men applied TO enlist. Only
l43 Of these succeeded in passing the ex-
animation. IN Philadelphia % were ac-
cepted ami PAT rejected. In Chicago Sc
were accepted and 2sS rejected. In Boston
20 were accepted and 3i3 rejected. Des
Moires. Iowa, has the best record in the
United States. there being 2G applicants
and Il accepted. In this city Of Washing
ton - men applied and Il of these were
rejected. Topeka, Kan. has the worst re-
cord. - men applying and - Of these be-
ing rejected.
There are 2oS recruiting stations in the
general service in the United States, to-
gether with ia stations of posts and %
stations IN the field. There are few re-
jecti0ns in the post and field stations. as
nearly all Of the enlistments are those Of
old soldiers.
Al present 550 men have been recruited
into the Fourteenth Cavalry at Fort
Leavenworth, Kan, 35S recruits have been
added to the Eleventh Cavalry at Fort
Myer. Va, and S09 have been added to the
Fifteenth Cavalry at the Presidio, San
Francisco.
In the new infantry regiments one bat
TALON each Of the Tweuty-seventh and
Twenty-eighth Infantry have been re-
cruited and eed men have been secured for
the Twenty-ninth Infantry.
-Four years remain in which 10 organize
the new artillery regiments. and Colonel
Johnston is not in any hurry. He is as
sured that the army viii have Ali the
men desired and only asks for officers TO
drill the recruits