Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-09

II
bilizing. While of the nation is discussing
Preparedness Philadelphia has 10000 men ready,
in theory at least to take field. the recent
Sussex crisis arose with Germany of the
local army wired Secretary Baker theiE 10000
stood behind him.
The organization is formally known as Philadel.
phias citizen army and intends eventually recruit
up to a strength of $4,000 Moreover in the large
plans which inspire the founders Philadelphia corps
is to be only the nucleus of national citizen army
a million
Locally people speak of the corps "Drexel Bid.
dies citizen arsy' or more Familiarity "Biddle's
army" Therein lies the whole stony. For this is a
unique army, paradoxical army. 1t is mans
army, yet it gets than national guard
1t is rich mans army, yet in ways is an
ideal army for poor man to join.
The army had it's birth in Mr. A. j. Drexel BiddIe's
brain. He is figure pretty we'll known to American
newspaper readers, his exploits as an amateur boxer
combined with his sudden determination to found a
worldwide chain of Bible classes having given mate
rial for much picturesque copy" Less well known
perhaps is the fact that his have been
pushed along until they number 10000 members
Now he is pushing his army in something the same
still anmates its leaders, simply to show con.
gress that it can be done" Several months ago ii
became apparent that the country wanted prepared.
ness but the powers that be seemed unable decide
just where to begin and what to do. Philadephia's
citizen army is in the nature a concrete suggestion
laboratory demonstration of how citizen armies are
built.
Being well endowed with this worlds goods and in
close touch with of wealth, Mr. Biddle was in a
position to put his ideas into practice He wanted to
get the rank and file of Philadelphia out and give
them military training, after the Swiss or
the Australian fashion, interfering with their
regular work If the citizens of Philadelphia really
wanted an army corps the implication let them
come out and form one, without waiting for nstruc-
tions from authority
At first it looked if they didn't want one After
lengthy negotiations, number of officers were loaned
by the government to drill masters Thousands
of recruiting circulars arounA explaining
the scheme. and setting the first meeting at Lans-
downe, a country place Philadelphia Thousands
of dollars were spent to get publicity Front-page
vertisements were inserted in the newspapers. When
the day arrived it found Mr.. at Lansdowne with
ten officers The recruits there, many as
sixteen of them.
The army apparently nasco. looked
like failure. But Mr.. Biddle remembered his Bible
He looked over the sixteen recruits and they
heterogeneous collection especially from the religious
point of view There three Jews, four Roman
Catholics, atheist two. members several
denominations Nevertheless, the aggrega-
ton called to start the army by saying the
Lords prayer. This they did, and the drill was
postponed while the recruiting campaign
Before long the tide began turn, and enough men
to start the drilling. After names
pouring in, until now, above, corps
numbers 10000. with fair prospect of getting
$4,000 set for goal
The work consists in bi-weekly drills with SIREN
weekend drilling at Lansdowne Saturday and
Sunday devoted to the latter into these two
days the men in charge are contrivng to
eight hours of military practice another
Tents, food and equipment furnished
In the matter of meeting expenses the corps is
calling on the wealthy of Philadelphia. cam
pagn just been launched to raise 100000 to cover
the cost of prospective expansion The theory that
each recruit shall pay for much he can, or will
If he good circumstances he take care of all
his own expenses get military training and do his
duty as a citizen. If he is equally willing
but too poor go to extra expense the corps will
do it for him.
1t is claimed a system that it is based on
real Justice wealth have most at stake in
of They have most to lose in disaster, most to
protect under any circumstances. 1t is than
their duty that they should come forward with the
money equip defenders if the defenders willing
to give their time, which is all they have, toward
making themselves efficient Moreover, wealth comes
to most in life, when they past the fight
ing age They can their share by helping
youth smaller bank account to learn to handle
rifle.
Many large employers of labor have been
There is detachment of the corps which consists
1900 bakers. All these bakers come from single
big bakery and their uniforms furnished them by
their employer Several of the department
uniformed many their employees join.
One jewelry has sixty-four uniformed in
the field.
Recruiting is still going actively. Sometimes
many as a hundred join day. stimulate
interest unique exhibit has been set up the
ground floor of the big downtown Office buildings 1t
includes all sorts of souvenirs of European war,
in the shape helmets rifles big ugly-Iookng shells
a model camp, aeroplane the somewhat dis
couraging figure of a wounded soldier attended by
pretty Red Cross This last, however. is part