Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-12
SIGNAL CORPS WILL Be
PURELY RADIO COMPANY
War department., After Experience
In Mexico, Changes It's
Policy.
CAMPAIGN OF RECRUITING,
Men Familiar With Operation OF
wireless Equipment Especially
Necded-Amateurs Rally to Situ-
Observation-Disclosures in Demand.

orders raising the type OF tho Rich :
mono Signal Corps and converting that
organization into n purely radio COM
pahS nave been issued by The War De-
phrtmoht. In conformity with that or
aer' AdJutant-General w w. Sale has
instructed the comma nding officer i'm
nlediateiy to recruit the COMPANY IN to
IT'S new enlisted strength after which
], VIII undergo AN Inspection To de
'erhihe It's fitness TO receive the high
er designation.
On it's face the change appears small.
's 'he new type only calls for six al =
ui':onal men. but when il IL known
mat those six men viii have To he
,aullliar with the operation OF wire
Tess equipment, II will bc seen that
Tue young organization is facing "A
serious problem as radio operators can
ne developed only after long study and
practice. Local amateurs. however.
nave been invited to affiliate with the
company, and II Ia expected that the
company Will receive it's now dcsir,a :
non In few weeks. Expert telerrn-
piers are also in dema nd. as they read
iiS master the intricdcies Of the wire
leS3 work
The Richmond Signal Corps at pres
eht is known as Il Type -. field com
panE. consisting of two wire and TWO
radio sections. The difficulty c:lcour-
tered by the regular army in the pr.s-
ilhes were found impracticahlc for field
duty. and all Of the heavy work has
fallen on the wireless, has caused the
war department. 10 recast the oruani-
Halon or the signal corps. and no more
mixed companies Will be authorized
Companies Will he either wire or wire
less. and each can then he used for
It's own specific work more effectively
WILL MEAN REORGA NIZATION
of LOCAL COMPANY
me change In the local company viii
mean a reorganization OF the compau,,
IN every respect. except that II will
sun be individually mounted on all oc
S"sioHs' mo new type calls for ;hrc.
oiiiccrS ana seventy tive enlisted mon
as against three officers and six,,.
hihe enlisted men In the present corn
PahE. me radio company is copnosaJ
OF SIX sections. instead OF four. whic,
means mat eight additional non-ron,.
rants. va
When tho change becomes .rac,,,.
me wire equipment now held bv the
company Will he returned Ia tho ..o,.-
crnment and additional wireless ,oI,I,.
ment VIII be substituted rho nrnn
erty now held by the Richmond com
mahh. according TO inspecting officers
- n"t couaHea ID! any other company,
regular or volunteer, in this country
The new equipment will naturaijv t,o
or the most modern type. putting the
company on even a higher plan. than
IL Is At present.
The new equipment Will include four
pack radio sets The COMPANY now
has two OF these sets. In addition to
ITS arinory station. which Is owned out
right by the organization. II is also
probable that Il motor set will DC tried
out here, AZ the signal corps officials
were highly Interested in the expert
menta conducted by the !ocal company,
Il, It's own expense, with motorcycles
10 carry the field equipment. This ex-
pertinent was highly successful and
the efforts OF the local company TO inn
prove on its apparatus was highly
commended.
Owing TO the resignation OF Captain
Frank :. Splatt. which was effective
on May 2, the company will elect "A
new commanding officer within the
next sixty days. First Lieutenant Earle
LutZ. ranking officer Of the company
III I'm command until "A successor to
Captain Splatt Is secured. First Lieu
tenant James +. Strothcr is his second
IN command. Under their supervision
recruiting campaign To put the COM
pany on war footing has been launch-
ed. with every indication OF success
The company realizes that in the pres
ent crisis II must work encrgctically
TO reach the new mark set by the
War Department before any call for
It's services is received.
The officers and four non-com,nls-
stoned officers of the company will at
tend the officers camp OF instruction at
Mountain Park. Roanoke. from May 20
10 juno g. inclusive.