The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-06-22
D.C.GUARD ORDERED
TO BRING ITS RANKS
TO WAR STRENGTH
viii Require About 800 More
Men Over Eighteen Years to
FIJI All Gaps. !
1900 SHOULD PASS MUSTER
General Harvey Expects About
10 Per Cent Of Men to Fail
In Test.


The District militia IL expected to
recruit up to war strength, according
to orders received today by Capt.
Horace Hobbs.
This means that about 800 more able
bodied men over eighteen years old
are needed. 1t Is believed by officers
In the militia that about 1900 OF the
men In camp today will pass muster.
The war strength expected of the
fourteen companies in the militia Is
$50 men each, or 2,100 men.
Recruiting Will be continued until
this number Is gotten or as near 2.loO
rhsre srs lex s o ssse enlisted and enlisted
men In the District militia concentra-
ton camp. according to General Har-
vey's official report. by telegraph to
General Leonard Wood. commander of
the Department OF the East. The militia
has total of eighty-eIght officers in all
It's organizations and an enlisted
strength OF 1915.
General Harvey believes ''nve or ten
per cent OF the enlisted strength will
fail Of muster on account Of minority
and other causes"
Inquiry From Wood.
General Harvey received tho follow
ing telegram from General Wood late
last night:
please inform me by wire what prog
ress has been made In mobilization.
What troops will be in the mobilization
camp tonight and considering the or
ganization in camp tonight what will be
their probable percentage Of war
strength in pursuance of War Depart
ment's instructions? I am instructing
the mastering officer to report daily on
the progress OF mobilization"
In reply to this General Harvey sent
the following telegram containing the
details as to the personnel OF each COM
mand:
Following troops District Of Column
bia national guard reached mobilization
camp. Fort Myer. Va. $3.50 p. NJ. today,
and are under canvas:
"Brigadier general commanding.
Third Infantry. SO officers. 954 men.
First Separate Battalion Infantry.
signal Corps Company. officers. s.
Field Hospital, officers. 80 men.
NEW organization).
Battery A. Field Artillery. 6 officers.
IA men.
Battery b, officers, 10 men.
''Offcers detailed for camp admins
tration, one adtutant general. one medi-
cal, three quartermaster corps, three
enlisted men. quartermaster corps.
personnel Win fall Of muster On account
Of minority, and other causes. Com
mand Ia without animals"
Real Work Begun.
Under the most rigid military dis
cipline. the militiamen today began
preparing themselves for service on the
Mexican border, should they be ordered
there.
The conditions at the mobilization
camp near Fort Myer are entirely diff
ferent from those which have prevailed
at the guardsmen's annual encamp-
ments. And the boys find a continuous
round OF military duties to claim their
time. attention. and energy.
Drills were on the program for the
morning, and afternoon, with trench
digging, policing, guard duty. and other
military pursuits to take up the time.
Capt Horace Hobbs said he had not
yet received his orders for the muster
and that the miitiamen probably will
not be sworn into the service Of the
United States until tomorrow.
Captain Hobbs busted himself today
scrutlnizing as many members OF the
guard as possible. He found a number
formed them that while the formal
muster would not be held until tomor-
row, they might as we'll pack up and
go home today as he had no intention
VI uuSteiiHb thcIl ii'
Will Take Married Men.
Captain Hobbs said that married men
with families dependent upon them
would be mustered In II they passed
the physical examination. He said the
movement started to raise money tc
care for the families OF these men was
worthy one, and should be encouraged
by everybody. He said that II would
be absolutely necessary In many cases
to provide for the families OF militia.
men.
Although many relatives and friends OF
the militiamen attempted to see the
guardsmen today, no one was permitted
to enter tho camp.
Scores OF men, women, and children
were turned away by the sentries. who
Informed them that they could not gaiT
audience with the mllitiamen or entel
tho camp. Some OF the visitors, mostly
of the Arlington National Cemetery. and
from this point watched the soldiers a
work.
No Frills for Guard.
For the next several days the close
order drill Will be practically TIE only
fnaneuver By the guardsmen.
The task before General Harvey
Colonel Young. and Captain Hobbs
inspector instructor of the militia. y tc
convert the soft" milltiamen into hard
and seasoned soldiers ready for the
field,
This they intend to do In the short.
est possible time. With that view II
mind they have mapped out a rigorous
program of military duties for the
guardsmen from 6:l5 In the mornlnl
until sunset each day. with a silght
Iet-up on Sunday.
All the guA.dsmen today were treated
as inexperienced men and given ele
mentary instruction In the manual OF
arms. foot work. and camp duty. The
officers assumed that every man vas q
recruit. and therefore began with the
h c of military duty.
Although the guardsmen are at camI
for an indeterminate period, II Is be
lieved that within a week or ten DAYS
they will he rounded into such shape al
to make them ready ana accepta5ls fol
service on the Mexican border
The Ramoness and grit OF the Distrtc
lnfanfrYmAn were tested almoAt the mo