The Washington herald., 1917-03-24
DANIELS ASKS
ENLISTMENTS.
FOR WAR ONLY
Department Agrees to Accept
Recruits to Serve in the
Present Crisis.
EXPECTED TO FILL RANKS
1886 Men Required Need Not
Finish Out Full Four
Year Period.

The Navy Department. in a big drive
to bring enHstments up to full strength,
and to fll the immediate need for men,
yesterday dispatched orders to all re-
cruiting stations to accept men for the
marine corps as well as the reserve corps
FOR term limited to the present emer-
gency"
Men so recruited will be pressed into
service with the understanding that they
will receive furlough when the emer-
gency ends and not be compelled tc
serve out the usual four years. Tc
rush enlistments and broaden the cam
paiEn for new men, an additional force
of 100 officers and 1000 men may be de-
tailed for recruiting purposes.
The total enlisted strength of the navy
Is 81 ,OS9, il was shown by Department re-
ports yesterday. Figuring in the men
whose term of enlistment will expire in
the near future the Navy now needs
1886 men to bring the number up to the
maximum allowed by the present law.
When the present limit is reached. the
President will be asked to extend it, to
furnish plenty of additional men for
every vessel and for duty on shore. When
the special session convenes legislation
Is expected to be pressed, making it cas-
Ter for enlisted men to secure commits
sions. The Navy Department needs 995
oH1cers now for immediate duty.
Needs More Destroyers,
Secretary of the Navy Daniels stated
yesterday that the government Is pre-
pared to buy any number of torpedo boat
destroyers the nations shipyards can
lay down. and he will meet the principal
builders OF warships at the department
today in an effort to speed up construc-
ton The navy will insist that the
IIffaRF ID IL l.
authorized. be constructed within twelve
months. II that be possible instead of
within two years, the usual time allowed
TO complete such craft. The department
is rushing its plans to award at an
early date contracts for the construction
of 30 submarine chasers Contracts
already have been let for gasoline
engines to equip such small vessels.
The builders OF sixteen small nom
coast patrol work in cooperation with
aeroplanes. advised Secretary Daniels
Yesterday that their plants are being
pushed to their maximum. to turn out
the ships in the shortest possible time.
The contracts required first deliveries
within four months.
The first ship will be ready for trial
within a month and the others soon
afteTwaTd. The joint army and navy
DOdfO again conferred WIN representa-
tives Of aircraft and rubber companies
to perfect details for the building of a
mammoth air fleet for scout purposes and
coast defense work.
To Buy own Planes.
Two hundred wealthy residents of New
York. through the Aero Club OF America,
yesterday promised Secretary Daniels to
do their Bit toward aerial prepared
ness. and voluntarily offered to buy their
own sedplanes and train for service with
out pay.
Added precautions to protect Atlantic
and Pacific coast fortifications against
spies were taken by officials. Command
ers of all fortihcations have been given
notice that all unofficial aircraft shall
keep away from such reservations.
Forces of guards about all Notifications
have been enlarged to uphold regulations
prohibiting all persons not attached to
the military service from visiting fortifi-
cations or taking pictures or making OBJ
servatiOns either inside or outside such
military posts.