Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-09-18

ment Of the separate battaliOns to DIFF
ferent units, because the War Depart
ment did not and could not recOg-
nize them then as a State unit. To
avoid this separation. 10 hold the
troops together and 20 retain the
States identity In its fighting men the
Third Battalion was organized at
great effort and solely through The
patriotism OF the young men Of the
State 50 that the complete regiment
could be established. After all this has
been aceOmplihed these newest Or
ders threaten 10 tear down all the
good work the men Of the State have
accomplished and TO destroy COM
p etely and effectively Delaware's one
and only fighting unit, Of which the
people Of the State are so proud.
Wh 10 the orders for the reorgani-
"a. on have been issued from Annls-
ton nothing authorize i've relative to
the matter ha7 been received here
Co'onel ]. Warner Reed, commanding
The Regiment, sta ed to day vat he
had received no word officially OF
he proposed change. He said all
he knew about the matter was the
report he had seen as published in
the press.
WIN Make Fight.
TO aver this threatened dismem-
bermen. OF the FIRST Delaware Regi-
ment something will have to be done
and done gu ckly Il was stated today
Any steps along this line must Of
necessity be taken by par les not
connected with the Regiment. The
officers and men OF the outfit are, Of
course, under military discipline, and
as such, are subject to orders, and
they have nothing to do but obey
orders. Friends OF the regiment
can, however interest themselves in
behalf Of the regiment and II is pos
sIbIe that through their efforts
enough influence may be brought to
bear IN Washing on TO avert this
threatened dismemberment Of the
Delaware regiment.
Anything thai may be done must
be done quickly. It was Do'nted out
today. DelaWnr8s congressional rep.
resen'A ives might be induced TO ex-
prt whatever efforts they can with
the War Department 10 have tho
Sia'e's troops retained intact. Every
officer and man In 'lIe regiment IS
earnestly hOping that sOme stems
along this line win. be taken immedi-
ately.
The Delaware men, as one ofiicer
stated today. have volunteered that
they might go out and fight by the
side OF their frleDds from their own
state. by the side Of the boys they
=
toered when the call came because
they then believed that n they waited
for the draft they would be assigned
possibly to regiments made up OF
strangers to them In all the recruit
ing campaign the volunteers were
promised. and It was made q point OF
argument to get recruits that by vol
unteering then the men would be able
20 so away with their friends, those
they knew from their home town or
native state. II the reorganization plar
IL carried out all this will have beer
wiped out, the men will have TO 81
where they are assigned, even II the!
are sent TO outfits made up or men the!
have never seen before and with whom
the only thing they viii have IN com
mon win be that they are fighting 10
their country.
The situation Is the most serious n
Delaware Regiment has had to FAC
since It's inception. The dismemDer
ment of the regiment Is serious enougl
10 itself, but when II Is further con
sldered that Il will mean the loss 4
the OUTFIT OF many OF Its officers, tn
men are thoroughly discouraged Man
OF them enlisted because they wante'
10 20 out under the command Of tn
sterling men who command the regi
ment. and Il was the character an
personnel OF the commanding officer
that drew many Of the men 10 tn
colors when the call for volunteers wa
sounded. What IS TO become Of thos
officers who viii be thrown out o
their present positions when the reOr
canizatinn comes Is not announced
The loss Of the Identity OF the Della
ware Regiment as a lighting unit /
euflelent OF Itself, u Is claimed, q
warrant the entire State In rising u
, the seriousness Of the situation an
registering a protest Of some kind, an
/, Il Is possible that Governor Townsen
, and the States full weight may b
thrown into the fight TO enable "a
retention OF the Delaware Regiment a
complete and undivided unit
The dispatch from Admission IN whicl
the plans for the reorganization ar
announced follows:
"New Jersey Is TO play the maste
! role in the reorganization oil tn
Twenty ninth Division, under plans an
nounced this morning. by Leutenan
Colonel George S. Goodale, chief OF stat
60 General Morton.
srNot only has New Jersey alread
provided more than two-thirds OF tn
new military police unit, but they wi
be principal contributors TO the Reg
ment OF Engineers now being torme'
with the New Jersey Battalion as
nucleus. They win also contribute a
. / except tour companies to the new Fifty
seventh Infantry Brigade, which will
commanded by Bigadier General Bai
Der, Of New Jersey.
Delaware viii give four infantry con
panies for She new brigade and the re-
Nvill be selected from the four Nc
Jersey regiments. The machine gu
, battalion for the Fifty-seventh 'Briga'
viii be composed Of the machine 81
companies Of the Second Regiment,
Trenton. and the Third. of Camden, ar
! one company 70 he organized. Gener
J., Barber has been directed TO rccoInmer
[ six cosrnauies Of New Jersey Infantr
4 Tor transfer 20 tire Engineer Regimes
4 I.now under organization. The Divisi'
: Signal Corps Battalion is to be torm'
. groo, the two comranies Of Now Jerse
/. and one company from the District
al.