Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-06-22
SHIP EQUIPAGE
TO MT. GRETNA
Men Recruited For War
Strength Will Be Given
Arms There

Notice was received at the Penn
sylvania National Guard headquarters
that the tentage and equipment re-
quired to provide for the men enlisted
to raise units of the national guard
from peace strength to war strength
would be shipped from the United
States Army depor at Philadelphia to
Mount Gretna to-day. Under the mill
tary plans, the War Department must
furnish this equipment, the Pennsyl-
Nania guardsmen being equipped only
for the peace strength. 1t was stated
at the Capitol o-daY that the men to
be sent out at the peace standing
would be equipped.
The State authorities have author
lied only a small number of men in
excess of the minimum peace strength
to be taken to Mount Gretna, so that
II the tentage and other equipment
which the national government must
supply does not reach Mount Gretna in
time 1T will be possible to care for the
excess of men without much discom-
fort.
State officials to-day declined to
comment upon reports that blankets
for the difference between peace and
war strength of the Pennsylvania guard
had been sent by the War Department
for Plattsburg camp. 1t was reported
here that efforts 70 obtain necessary
blankets were being made and that
they would be shipped as soon as pos
sible. The other equipment is to be
started from SchuyllSill arsenal to-
night.
Captain ]. B. Kemper, United States
Army, was to-day detailed by Colonel
c. r. Noyes, chief mastering officer OF
the Department of the East to act as
senior mastering officer at Mount
Gretna and to receive the stores. Cap
tains F. S. Leisenring, infantry, r. S
Thomas, engineers, and D. H. Biddle,
cavalry, and Major c. e. Koerper
medical corps, have been detailed as
assistant mastering officers, and Cap
tain Thomas will likely be appointed
property officer.
Governor Brumbaugh to-day issued
statement to the effect that salaries
of men employed in executive depart
ments of the State government could
not be paid for the time they are in
the national service.
The Governors statement is as fol-
lows:
The employees of the Common.
wealth in all executive departments
States through the rational guard will
not lose their positions by reason OF
that service. The courts have decided
that salaries can be paid only for serv.
ice actually performed for the Com
| monwealth. For that reason the sala.
ries of these men cannot be paid them
for the time they are in the nationa
service. Inasmuch as the Common.
wealth of PENNSYLVANIA certainly
should do for its officials what it ex.
poets private individuals and cor.
porations to do, l shall earnestly rec.
ommend that they be reimbursed bN
the Legislature when it next as.
sembles.'
Reports reaching the Capitol to-daN
! from all over the State told of graft.
fying recruitment and the commander.
of number of units asked to be al.
lowed to take all of the men to camr
on Saturday. This will depend upor
the manner in which the equipment
comes from the War Department. L
il does not arrive in time, the men will
remain at home stations under com,
mand of first lieutenants, who are act
ing as recruiting officers.
The shipment of stores from thi.
city has about been completed. Specia
requisitions are now being handled.