The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-08-09
GENERAL Mann
TELLS FRAZIER
). ABOUT M|X.UP
Writes Governor Personally Elk.
pressing Regret for Mistake
Regarding Second
MANY OFFICERS MAY BE
:. - - ,
DISQUALIFIED BY LAW


Number Of Company Command
ers as Well as Field and
staff Do Not Comply
General w. X. Mann, chief of militia
bureau, in personal letter to Cover
nor Frazier this morning, explains the
mix.up with reference to the Second
regiment. The general: says: "The
fixed rule of the bureau in regard to
the strength of companies to be &C.
cepted has been to require a mini
mum strength of 1000. Through
some inadvertence due to the press of
business, a telegram was prepared
and sent to the adjutant general of
North Dakota In June. saying that the
strength required would be IS. This
information did not originate with
that part Of the Office concerned with
the raising of infantry regiments and
companies, and, although my name
was signed to the message, 1t was
not. brought to my attention until yes
terday. As soon as learned of 1t,
steps were taken to rectify the mat
ter, and in order to keep faith with
your officials, who were acting on
what they believed was the authorized
minimum strength of new companies,
recognition was Immediately accord
ed the three companies which were
,,nIo~ n o<ronu<h ~ 1 m ,,,o,, h,,t &vor
a strength of IS. am sorry there
was any misunderstanding, and hope
the organization of the regiment now
may be completed at an early date"
The companies to which General
Mann refers as being under 100 men
but were over IS were, B, F and K.
His letter still left the fate of the
regiment as a whole at doubt, but last
night Major Settle, chief. mastering Of
flcer for North Dakota, received in
structions to muster in the fourth
company, which heretofore had been
denied federal recognition-Co. l. of
Hankinson, which succeeded in re-
cruiting but 33 men-and the major
announces, that, the acceptance of the
IL infantry companies means recog-
milton for the Second as whole and
the mastering in Of the headquarters
company and band in Bismarck, the
supply company at Hillsboro and, the
sanitary defac chnent ~. 116inOt M ss
~ oa6S Wins q. X { s s1ss .
The FIRST oflciaf act of John NJ.
Baer % congressman Of the First dis
trict, whose election was certified to-
Washington yesterday by. the state
board of canvassers, was wire to
Governor Frazier, supplementing
those of Senator McCumber and Rep:
resentative, Norton, advising that the
Second had been saved.
Officers in Doubt.
While the acceptance of the Second
as unit now seems assured, the fate
of the field and staff officers and a
number of the company commanders
remains in doubt. Practically every
field and staff officer exceeds the age
limit for his grade This is a regu-
lstory matter, which may be warved.
The provisions of Sec. "A, requiring
officers to be selected from the ma
tional guard or reserve officers list,
however, is legal enactment, and
what authority the war department
may have to ignore it and accept
North Dakota officers who fail to COM
ply with these provisions is ques'
ton.
Adjutant General Fraser this morn
ing expressed the sincere hope that
the war department may see It's way
clear to accept the field and staff Of
ficers named, as, he declares, they
are men of exceptional ability and
standing, whose rejection would be a
a serious loss to the regiment. He
has recommended to the war depart
ment that it use its utmost authority
to make exceptions in favor of these
officers.
Company Officers Out.
All of the commissioned officers OF
Co. A, Minot, are held disqualified un-
der Sec. "A of the defense act. Cap
tain Wheeler of Co. B, New Rockford,
is ruled out. The first and second
lieutenants of Co. C, Crosby; all of
the officers of Co. F. Darlington; the
captain and first lieutenant of Co. G.,
Rolla; the captain of Co. H, Harvey;
the captain and first lieutenant of Co.
X. Glendale; the captain of Co. l.,
Hankinson; all of the officers of Co.
M, Beach, and all of the officers of
the Dickinson machine gun company
will be ruled out If the section Is
strictly enforced. This will mean the
officering of these companies by men
from the First regiment. Co. I OF
Bismarck, Co. D of Devils Lake and
CO. E of Langdon are the only units
of the Second whose officers have
qualified in every respect and have
been accepted subject to the provi-
sions of Sec. "A. ~
To st. Paul.
Governor Frazier and General Fra
ser leave this evening to attend re-
view and commencement exercises
at the officers training camp at Fort
Smelling, where approximately 200
North Dakotans will finish their three
months course and some of these, 1t
is hoped, will be commissioned.
OctogenorIon Dies
W6ile Ende0t'orfng
To Stop r un0eUoyj
A A A a d q q q e.