The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-06-19
MEN HERE RUSH TO
ENLIST IN GUARD
fcontInued from FIrrt PaEe.,

CONTINUED from First Page.)
con Tastet made notes on a chart on
the enlistment rapers Of every mark on
the body OF every recruit. Finger prints
are taken OF each man for further tden-
tification.
Sworn In At Headquarters.
When the physical examination In
completed the men are sent to the head
quarters of the Third Infantry where
they are sworn into the service of the
United States. This II the oath that
Is administered to all guardsmen In the
District, and ID similar TO the oafh
taken by enlisted soldiers Of the regular
army. Lieutenant Snithson swore In
shs naa during San The early hours and
jutant Of the Third Infantry, took
charge Of the swearing In.
A feature of the recruiting service
that created much comment was the
representatives of the various organixa-
lions needing men who were In walt
outside the doors OF the medical officers
Headquarters to waylay prospects for
their organizations. The quartermaster's
representative repre- sA,, ssksd every man II he
small chance Of reaching the infantry
headquarters, as he was NEEDED In tho
auartermaster's department.
Separate Battalion Recruiting.
Recruiting for the first separte bat
TALON, the organisation of colored
troops. took place at the armory OF the
organisation at Twelfth and v streets.
The officers of the two field batteries
also opened recruiting offices In their
headquarters the First street armory.
Captain Perry. of the Signal Corps, re-
ported this morning that he had ia
men ready to go. and could only take q
portion of them.
A large number Of former enlisted
men In the national guard visited the
armorfes today. and made inquiries as
10 re-enlisting. Many of them were re-
Most Go In Infantry.
The infantry applicants were signed
up" by Lieutenant Monagan, Of the
Third Infantry. while sergeants Miller
and Borden Issued papers to tho appli-
cants for the Signal Corps. A majority
Of the applicants wanted to enter the
AS the recruits accumulated in
patches OF ten. they were sent to the
l. street armory to be put through
tests by the medical examiners, three
of whom were on duty there in an
spending. to "the call to the coiors."
Practically all the applicants were
passed by the medical examiners.
The recruiting officers desks. which
building at 1895 Pennsyivania avenue
when the military exhibit was opened
by the District militia last Tuesday
to stimulate enlistments, were moved
to the front OF the building today.
Equipment Needed Now.
A corps of workmen set about dis
mantling the exhibit at 0 o'clock. The
District militia now has more serious
work than exhibits on its hands and
all the equipment shown in the ex-
hiblt will be needed by the citizen
soldiery at its camp Of preparation.
crowd Of about 100 persons was gath
cred most OF the time. Now and then
young men who watched the steady
stream Of would-be recruits entering
the building left the crowd and walk
ed up to the recruiting officers desks
to sign up"
There was every indication at the
recruiting station that Washington's
what it SAID The recruiting offeers
said that II the morning eniistments
were to be taken as q criterion OF the
and readiness of District
OF the militia would be Increased BY
several hundred before closing time
tonight.
A score or more men more than
forty-hve. years old tried every known
means OF persuasion to enlist, hut
they were refused enlistment papers
because Of the age limit. One would
be recruit, wearing a heavy brown
mustache and admitting he was forty
seven years old, said when denied en-
listment with the infantry:
Wants To Fight.
Cant I go in the hospital corp, the
kitchen corps or something like that?
know I'm beyond the age limit, but
I want to 60 to Mexico to Tight the
greasers and I don't care in what
branch of the service I go. thought
In a time like this you would take
men who were over the age limit"
The recruiting officer informed him he
might get a chance TO enlist II volun-
teers were called for, but at present no
one over forty-fve or under eighteen
could be accepted.
Several tall erect. military looking
men consulted the recruiting OFFICERS
about entering the national guard as
Each of them said ne had either grad
uated from a military institution where
ne held commission. or served as
military instructor. These applicants
were told they could not be guaranteed
commissions. but II he possessed the
military knowledge they said they did,
the path to q commission would be
readily opened to them. None of them
enlisted. stating that they preferred ito
walt until volunteers are called for"
when they believed they could get q