The Washington times., 1916-07-04
Another Average Command Will
Show Citizens How far Re-
cruiting Falls Short.
As PREPAREDNESS LESSON
Banners Will Seek to Awaken
City to Need Of Backing Up
Flag Day Pledges.

BY the addition Of . number OF men
through detail Washington 10 to have
the opportunity Of seeing what COM
pany OF infantry at war strength looks
like when n provisional company OF the
Third Infantry parades the streets OF
the city today behind the resfmental
band.
citizens Of the District under the suise
Of a Fourth Of July parade: General
Harvey has consented to send the band
and to make UP n provisional company
Of infantry at war strength. ,,,,. In
charge of recruiting second company
will Be sent-one that is average strensth
Of the regiment now. II ia proposed
to parade these two 90 ors anu Ths
bnnd will lead the procession.
The first company behind the band
will be the company OF average sue
about thirty,fiys men; partly par, eq IN msn
strong, fully equipped for field service
IN the newest Of the War Department
equipment
! Seek to Awaken Capital.
The recruiting officers wish to put
detail of men with each company to
carry big banners. On the banner with
the first company will be inscribed:
| The kind Of company you are send.
ing to the front-from a city with
| 60. 000 preparedness mnrchers infan-
try companies of thirty-five men
The banner with the other company
Is to be inscribed:
| The kind OF company NEEDED
| at the front. A city with U.uO pre-
| paredness paraders ought to be able
to recruit 1900 men for regiment OF
infantry, IL you meant II on rag
Lay.
II IL proposed to have other banners
that will call attention to the fact tina
the net result OF recruiting In Wash
ington for ten days has been 70 keen
the companies Of the Third Infantry
from falling way below the minimum
war strength average.
4 Since the national guard went into
constant drawin= out OF the men for
Few OF the discharges have been the
result of action on the part Of the mer
fa mindr shr Tnder az ase af Is SAID
OF these minors had been allowed &c
remain In the national guard Tor par
When feid service faced the regiment
In one case the youth had served ont
fui, enlistment and was on his second
term.
/ Many Fail on Examination.
In other cases men have fallen b,
the physical examination route. The
examination of the Third Infantry vii
/, probably not be completed for severa
!, days. ~
The percentage Of discharges for dis
ability Is much higher than the oniceri
anticipated. The navy yard orde
withdraws more than 100 men.
The men who have peen ENLISTED D.
the recruiting officers have Just abou
kept the numbers In the ranks ever
, with the minimum required. 1t H. TN
desire of the War Department TO haN'
each company reach the maximum De
fore going into service.
/ The recruiting officers point out tina
. the only organization Of infantry tina
has come up to the expectations OF IL
Officers has been the First Separate
Battalion.
The colored troops were found In fai
physical condition by the army medica
men who examined them. The Officer
expressed surprise that as much as i
per cent should fail through physica
defects. This was about the average
It is reported.
Unlike the other troops. however. tn,
recruiting officers OF the colored bat
talon were able to get enough men I,
All the ranks and the four companies
of the First Separate Battalion viii
J average ninety men each with a con
! slant stream of candidates appearing
before the company officers for recruit
ing every day.