Bisbee daily review., 1917-09-27
NATIONAL Army
WILL BE Short
MANY THOUSANDS
Guard Divisions Must Be Fill
ed to War Strength and
Special Services Recruited.
Shortage of Men Certain.
by y. view Leased Wire.)


WASHINGTON, Sept. 26.-There Is
little doubt now that large deficiency
of men will be shown when the first
increment of the ma .ional army, $751;
900 men, has been modified.
Seventeen national guard divisions
must be brought up to war strength
and several special reserve forces or.
ganized out of this reservoir, so the
number of drafted men remaining at
the cantonments hardly will be suffici
ent TO organize the sixteen national
army divisions at full strength basis
Whether incomplete divisions will be
formed or a call l5r more mep issued
has not been indicated.
Figures Unavailable.
Secretary Baker said today that def
mite figures as to the number of ma
tional army men il would be necessary
to transfer to the national guard
were not available. A dual process
of organization at the guard encamp-
ments serves to delay complete re-
ports. Not only are these divisions
being mobilized for the first time, but
in the midst of that mobilization the
whole fabric of the infantry is being
reorganized on the trench warfare
plan.
The New Division.
The fighting strength of the new d.
vision is fixed at 27,5OO men. The sew
enteen guard divisions on that basis
will have a total strength of 437 500
men.
National Army Short.
The guard probably brought into the
federal service a total of not more
than 300, 900 men possibly less. Il will
take, therefore, at least $4,000 nation
al army men to fill up the guard diyis-
ions. Another 100000 of the national
army will go to the air service and GER
tainly as MANY more to other special
services. That would leave not more
than 250,000 men to form the sixteen
national army divisions which should
have an aggregate war strength Of
432, 900.
Reorganization Difficult.
Secretary Baker pointed out today
some of the difficulties that attend the
reorganization of the national guard
for war purposes. While the sixteen
division plan for the guard, since ex-
tended to seventeen with the organiza-
ton of the forty-second, or rainbow"
division, is an old one, the whole fab
ric of the divisions has been changed.
With the adoption of the European
regimental and company standard, ev-
cry guard regiment, which was to be
included in a division, had to be ex-
panded. Regiments and parts of regi-
ments are being consolidated to furn-
ish the $500 men regimental units now
desired.
Guard Consultations.
In making these consultations, the
department is attempting - keep the
forces as much localized as possible. In
assigning men from the national army
to national guard units, wherever prac'
tical. national army men will go TO reg
iments from their own states. There
are many cases, However, wnere the
practice will have to be abandoned 10
meet military necessities.
The guard consolidation has brought
upon the department a new source OF
trouble. Numerous colonels and regi-
mental STATS of the guard are certain
to be left without commands, since the
number of regiments has been redue-
ed. The policy of the department, 1t
is said, will be to find places for such
guard officers in other forces as far as
possible and desirable.