New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-08
Crowder Planning
For Mobilization
Of Draft Army
Final Regulations Govern
ing Organization Expect
ed This Week
Ranks Nearly Filled
Regulars Only 1000 Short;
Men Conscripted May Get
Choice Of Service

Marshal General Crowder and his as
sistants are at work on the final set of
regulations to be promulgated this
week to complete the organization Of
the selective draft war army. They will
govern the actual mobilization Of the
men selected.
Statements issued to-day by the War
Department show that preliminary fig
ures place the total force of National
Guard taken into the Federal service
August at 1908 officers and 419,834
men. Another statement showed that
1s0,766 war volunteers have been re-
cruited for the regular service since
April l, leaving only about 1000 va
cancies in the regulars at war strength.
725,000 Under Arms
These figures mean that approx
mately 725,000 men are now under
arms, exclusive of the navy and Marine
Corps, to be supplemented within the
next few weeks by $4,000, raised under
the selective draft ,act. Of the latter
number about 100000 will compose the
third great element of the war army
the National Army-and the remainder
will go to fill up the regulars and the
Guard and their reserves.
The mobilization regulations Will
show how the drafted men are to be as
signed. Already the War Department
l.. lie
men certain to be called in the first in
crement of the draft forces for assign
ment to some particular arm or branch
of the service Where a man has been
summoned by his local board for physi-
cal examination no method exists
whereby he may enlist in the regulars
and have his service count on the home
quota. 1t is probable, however, that
some effort will be made to meet the
wishes of the drafted men in this re-
gard as far as possible when they are
modified. 1t can only be done to a
limited extent, as the regulars and
Guard, as shown by to-day's statement,
are practically filled up now.
All Forces Under United States
The War Department has taken over
recruiting for the National Guard as
well as the regulars, the entire Guard
having now become part OF the army
Of the United States and having no
connection with the states. To-day's
statement says that about half the
men applying for enlistment are with
III the draft ages. Those accepted Will
count as credits on subsequent quotas
Of their districts.
The statement lays stress, however, on
the fact that the country wants all the
men il cen get who can be spared at
home
Tie National Guard statement shows
that only the number of men snort OF
the 4l9.S34 figure, shown by checking
of the muster rolls by department com,
manders and the rejection of any found
unfit. will be taken from the draft
forces or the Guard service. The
recruiting service expects to fill the
regular army to full war service to-
morrow or next day, so that there
probably will be q surplus of 100000
or more men when the full $4,000 of
the first increment of the National
Army is assembled.
In addition, recruiting throughout
the country will supplement the ex-
cess. all men who volunteer going into
the regulars or the National Guard or
into the reserve after full war strength
is reached
Draft as Recruit Reservoir
II is regarded as likely that the mob
ilization regulations soon to be issued
will show that the surplus Of drafted
men is to be used as a recruit reser-
voir, and that all the men will be put
under training as quickly as possible,
A recruit depot will be established in
France from which regiments at the
front will be kept filled up, drafts Of
men from the main recruit depot in
this country being sent over TO this
distribution centre as needed. In the
same way, sick or wounded men will be
returned TO the front when recovered,
and a steady flow Of recruits to main
tain active regiments at top fighting
efficiency will be provided in this way.
The only hint Of the probable method
Of mobilization Of drafted men lies in
q recent ruling by General Crowder
which shows that the Adjuant General
may summon the quotas of the dis
tricts in increments. Division of each
quota into five equal parts is suggested,
each part to be called up separately
as needed.
Under this arrangement IL would be
possible to call out at once the men
to form the new National Army, and to
summon later those who are to com
pose the reserves for all elements of
the army. Men temporarily needed in
harvest fields or elsewhere could be
classified by local boards into these
later increments to meet emergency
situations in their districts without