Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1916-01-12
NAVAL RESERVE CAMPS
FOR COUNTY DESIRED
Hundred Thousand Skilled Me.
chanics viii be Enrolled in
Service.
HALF MILLION CITIZENS
Expected to Sign Petition for Training
Places Which Will Go to Congress

The Navy League of the United States
/, is circulating petitions for the estab
lishment of naval reserve training
camps on the Plattsburg plan. This
/ is the first step in campaign on the
part of the League to enroll hundred
thousand skilled mechanics for the
naval reserve that would be essential
for the navy of this country in case
of a war.
With little training, point out Off
cials of the Navy League, these men,
already skilled in the science of me-
chanics. could be fitted out to take the
place of sailors at the guns, in engine
rooms and at other important posts
requiring technical skill. The reserve
into which it is planned to incorporate
them will include the yachtsmen and
motor boat owners already registered
through the work of the League
The petitions for the naval camps
are to be sent to members who have
volunteered to serve on the naval re-
serve committee of the League Sign
ers may register themselves upon the
petition in favor of the establishment
a
reserve, and also. if the wish, may in
dicate that they will become members
of the service and attend the camps.
The naval reserve committee, it is sta
ted, expects to secure the signatures of
at least half million citizens by the
first of March. When the desired
number has been obtained the whole
will be presented to Congress in the
form of monster petition The naval
reserve committee believes that out
of the half million signers at least
100, 900 will register as volunteers for
the reserve. The need for this number
of trained men, of all classes, to be in
stantly available in event of war, has
been pointed out repeatedly by the
highest officers of the naval service
and by members of the administration,
but the government has so far an
nounced no plan to get the recruits.
Official action. to obtain the needed
men would hardly be possible until
after the preparedness issue has been
fought and decided in Congress. I'm
til that time the navy will be unpro-
vided with the necessary reserve for
emergencies. The Navy League there
fore. has decided to go ahead and reg
lister the men needed. In its work of
enrolling men of all classes for the
naval reserve the League states that it
has the unqualified Endorsement of the
Navy Department and the fullest coop
Grafton has been promised.
The department believes that by en-
ploying its nationwide organization to
enlist this force the League can render
a definite service to the country in the
establishment of an adequate second
line force for the navy Local commit
tees will be formed in cities and towns
all over the country to work under the
direction of the national naval reserve
committee Campaigns in all the large
cities 10 secure skilled workmen fitted
for service in the proposed body.
In the seacoast cities where there
are navy yards naval bases and naval
reserve ships, committees will work to
arrange for instruction camps and for
other facilities for familiarizing re-
cruits with the details of naval service.
The naval reserve committee in charge
of the work is composed of Ralph b.
Strassburger, Gwynnedd Valley. Pa,
chairman: former Senator William A.
Clark, of Montana: Ambrose Cramer
and Samuel insult. of Chicago; Henry
3. Joy, of Detroit; Charles l.. Poor, of
New York; A. B. Lambert, of st. Louis,
and A Long of Kansas City