Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-03-26

INTO six military departments in place
of four now existing. The new organ.
iZation becomes effective May l. and
comprises the following:
Northeastern Department. to en-
brace Maine. New Hampshire, Yer.
mont Massachusetts Rhode Island
and Connecticut. Headquarters at
Boston.
Eastern department: New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Delaware
Maryland and Virginia. West Virgin
Ia, District of Columbia, the Canal
Zone and Porto Rico. Headquarters
at Governors Island
Southeastern department: Tennes-
see, North Carolina, South Carolina.
Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mis-
sissippi together with the coast de-
lenses of New Orleans and the coast
defenses of Galveston. Headquarters
at Charleston, s c.
Central department: Kentucky,
Ohio Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wis
ronsin, Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Ne
hraska Wyoming and Colorado.
Headquarters at Chicago.
Southern department: Louisiana
Except the coast defenses at New Orr
leans), Texas except the coast de-
fenses at Galyeston), Arkansas, Kan
sas. oklahoma, New Mexico and Ari-
zona. Headquarters at Fort Sam
Houston, Tex,
The Extreme uest
'Wcstcrn department. Washing
ton. Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Cali
fornia, Nevada. Utah and Alaska.
Headquarters at San Francisco.
Maj Gcn. Leonard Wood VIII COM
mand the southeastern department
and Mai, Gen. J. Franklin Bell will
command the eastern department.
Maj. Gen. Hunter Liggett will com
mand the western department and
Brig. Gen. Clarence r. Edwards will
command the northeastern depart
mont. Brig. Gen. Edward H. Plummer
viii command the troops in the Pana-
ma Canal Zone. Other department
commanders will remain as at pres
ent.'
Now Up to Congress.
Congress must determine the sys-
tenn under which an army is to be
raised. TOday's action provides more
elastic machinery found as necessary
|0 result Of the recent border mo-
IT, ion for the enrolling and train
Il great army, whether raised
g. .tecT, or by cOnscription or
..- a universal service bill.
ue object of the creation of the
new departments of the northeast
and southeast was to distribute among
three central commanders the work
Of mobilization in the states most
thickly populated and from which the
create number of soldiers must
come. The present eastern depart
mcnt directs the mobilization of ap-
prOXimdteiy so per cent of the $50, 900
guardsmen sent 20 the border, With
440, 900 men, the maximum authorized
strength of the national guard, called
out in addition to whatever volunteers
might be summoned the task would
be too great for single departmental
organization because of the vastness
of the supply problems involved.
Lesson Well Learned.
Instructions To national guard Of
fiCers issued more than Il month ago
to cover any future mobilization.
showed plainly that the war depart
ment had learned its lesson and pro-
posed to decentralize its mobilization
problems as far as possible. Depart
mental commanders completely will
supervise the assembling of state
troops in their districts hereafter, and
Will take over Immediately on call
Tor federal service the task of recruit
ing for the guard regiments through
organization of reserve battalions.
The transfer OF General Wood from
the eastern TO the southeastern os,