Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-30
s0hLy E|GHTY-S|X APPLY
| FOR FORT MYER CAMP
Total From This District Seeking
Officers Commissions Regarded
as Disappointing.
LIST is TO BE CLOSED ON MAY 8
Camp Opens on May IL. When All
Seeking Instruction Must Report
for Duty-Seek Only Men Suited
To Command BODIES of Troops.


: Unless more men of tho right calibcr
apply for admission to the officers
ittrainnE camp at Fort Niger during
the mex: few days there will be no
necessity for the War Department to
concern itself over wedding out pro-
cess. as far as Virginia is concerned.
nIn spite of tho great interest shown
In Richmond and other cities OF the
State in the opportunity afforded by
. the Fort Myer camp TO train for COM
inand. the applications OF only eighty
six men had. un to last night. been
: approved by Major Letcher Hardeman.
local United States Army recruiting of
iicer. and forwarded by him to the
Eastern Department
Besides Major IIardcman. there arc
six other officers stationed ut various
Z points in Virginia and charged with
Gthc duty of personally examining APP
J Dlicants for admittancc 10 the officers
: camp. The publicity that has been
given to his work. however. has
brought him applications from all parts
ERf the State. and il is probable that
Who're than half tho applications from
i hands, if not an even greater proper
ton.
Although the officers in charge Of
recruiting for the PlattshurE camp.
'
Island and tho New England States
4 make the statement that tho nur.b rr
3. of applications for Plattsburs has ncen
disappointing. the War department.
with hird'S-cye view of the national
! situation. has stated that applications
are SO numerous for the officers Re-
serve corps training camps that an
additional week will he required %
Y Select from the applicants the most
promising men.
fUMBER APPLYING Is ny No
r MEANS OVERWHELMING
Notwithstanding the flood of appli-
cations to which the War Department
has referred in its official statement
II appears that the number applying
for admittance TO Fort Mycr is by no
means ovcrwh Ginning. Unless applica-
4 lions from Maryland. Delaware and
Y New Jersey are dispropnrtionately
large there is still room at Fort Mycr
for well qualified men.
1T IL true that tho number of men
Sewho have passed muster for admittance
s&to the training camp ia not UP 10 on
@Afsectations," said Alexander Forward.
president Of the Richmond branch OF
the Military Training Camps Associ-
alton of tho United States. yesterday
There are several reasons. The most
important is tho fact tina, only . per
cent OF members of the existing Ma
tional Guard organizations will be au-
mittcd to the camps. these selections
to be made by the commanding officers.
s Many members of the First Squadron.
= Ffrst Virginia Cavalry. the Howitzers
and other commands who had expect
y ed first TO take tho examination for
tho officers Reserve Corps. and later
to attend camp at Fort Myer. have
\ been deprived of both opportunities by
rulings OF the War Department. thus
materially reducing the number OF APP
nil hn
pcricncc.
Another factor operating TO reduce
the number OF cliriblcS for Fort Mycr
is the rigid physical examination
which not Il few Of the applicants
have been unable To pass Another is
The uncertainty Of acccptanccs. Many
men have to give notice before lcav-
ing their present employment and can
not reasonably do so without finding
/. out II they will he accepted for train
ing. This difficulty has now been part
~ removed by the ruling that the
names OF all persons admitted to camp
will be announced on May :. thus Civ
ing men who are admitted. time 20
make necessary arrangements for re
porting on May li.
RECRUITING REFiCEn MUST
PASS JuDGMENT on APPLICANTS
"A good many men get no further
than Major llardcmans office. Tic is
charged with the duty Of personally
examining all applicants. and must re-
cord his Judgment as 10 whether or
not the applicant is fitted 10 command
men. His advice not 10 pursue the
matter further. whenever il is given
to an applicant. IL likely 10 be sound,
and he is Obliged by his orders 10 state
his deliberate judgment IN each IN
stance"
Additional recruiting officers for the
-t~l.