Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-07-13
TIME SHORT TO
ENTER RESERVE
MORE BLANKS RECEIVED FOR
APPLICANTS TO SECOND
CAMP AT TT. RILEY.

Additional blank applications nave
been received by Secretary Ioulnhe ~
the Commercial club for enllsting %
the second training camp LOT .hg
ficers' reserve corps at TT. Rlley, hal
sas. Sunday is the final day for the aps
plicants TO get their enlistment blanks
in for the camp and those desiring 70
enter must do so Immediately as Ile
blanks must be filled out a u IN LES
Moines by the last of the week. -,
One more applicant was received os
Mr.. Toulme this morning VINO mas
thus far given out some thirty apphca-
ton blanks to young men seeking ~
enter this branch Of service, 9
When war was declared the natioIl
two most important immediate neces-
stiles were to raise an army ana 10 e..
ate executive and administrative poulse
of maximum efficiency to, aid the gov
eminent in carrying on the war.
All Americas greatest figures IN M
ance. commerce and industry immedi-
ately volunteered their services 10 tne
government and many OF them are nv W
accomplishing the wonderful results
seen in the three months since war was
declared. The rank and file Of the army
has been enormously increased by VOL
unteers and will shortly receive nun.
dreds of thousands Of the nations Dest
young manhood through the seiecllve
draft and there are now in training "
already commissioned all the young OIL
ficers the army shall need for the io"ei
grades. Everywhere, with one eNcep
ton, are evidences of America Won
derful adaptability. efficiency ana pa
triotism in the nations grea, e1n 1.it.
ency. The one exception is most Vlta'
and fundamental. The country is woe.
fully deficient in officer material OF
proper age, education. experience ana
business Judgment for the hlsner
grades.
The government has decreed that all
the manhood of the country between
the ages OF 81 and 81 shall be subject
to selective draft. and the older men
are needed to lead them: men between
81 and A., who have made good by cav
cation, brains and energy are urged TO
apply before July Is for admission INTO
the second officers training camp.
More battles and lives are lost by the
mistakes and inefficiencies OF hlsner
officers than from any other cause. Ell
rors by their officers lost the Marhe
and the Channel Ports for Germa n.y.
bv proper selections of officers America
should keep its error columns as near
Nv blank as it humanity possible. When
the bows go to France the German Of
ficers opposed to them will be the very
best that Germany could get from JUST
s,ch business and professional men az
the government is now seeking.
Military experience is not necessary
for admission to these camps. AS
matter of fact the country is now strip
ped of it's men Of military experience
10000 of them went to the first offlcers
training camps-other thousands are
in the national guard and the regular
army. It is civilians who areScalled upon
now and they must respond before the
18th Of this month and go into training
to acquire the military experience.
1t is time now for them to make theiT
decision and to make sacrifices that
their country has a right to demand y
them. The decision must be made i'm :
mediately. Application blanks may pc
had at the Commercial club. as July 10
is the last date on which these appllca-
tions will be- received.
While applications will be received
from persons between 90 years and y
months and "A years Of age and from
men with certain military experience
up to so years Of age, preference VIII
be given to men over 81, other things
being equal.