The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-08-06
FATE.OF SECOND
UNCE|:. | RI'.Al|N;;. ONE
COMPANY. \ SA0R7 7
Major Settle: Proceeding With
Muster of Eleven Companies
Recognized, by Mann
.~ ,----Es
TRANSFER MADE BY GEN.
FRASER TO FILL QUOTA
-------
Switching of Men at Last Moment
Brings Companies Up to Re-
quirements

The fate Of North Dakota's Second
regiment of infantry still hung in the
balance at noon today. Major Doug.
las Settle, chief mastering officer for
North Dakota, advised that the mus
tering of H. companies which have
complied with the swar departments
new requirement 5of minimum
strength of 100 men, announced Satur
day night only three hours before the
troops passed from state control. is
proceeding today. The twelfth com
pany, upon which the existence of the
regiment hinges, is Co. l., at Hankin
son, not recognized. Major Settle
states, because 1t reports but 33 men
In spite Of everything that could be
done to arouse enthusiasm, apathy has
kept Hankinson in its grip, and North
Dakota may lose the honor Of muster
ing Second regiment of National
guard because of the failure Of one
community to maintain the state rec
ord for patriotism.
''The recognition of the Second as
whole is still uncertain" said Major
Settle today. "Only II companies have
complied with the federal require
ments; the regiment is one company
short of the standard set Whether
1t will he recognized in thjs condition
i cannot state. My orders for muster
ing include only the II companie
which have met federal requirements
We are. proceeding with the muster
ing of these companies now" /.
Ill Question OF, Transfer.
/. The last OfRcialAfaat Of rAdiutanI
General Fraser in connection with thu
Second regiment, taken only few
minutes before this regiment, under
the draft, passed from control of tht
state for the period of the war, wal
the transfer of men from companie:
whose strength far exceeded the re
quired minimum, to other companies
that had not been so successful ii
recruiting. This transfer, if recog
nized by the federal government, viii
save the Second, as it gives each O
the latter companies more than 10(
men, and makes the total strength O,
the regiment 1877, as against mini
mum requirement Of 1900. The ply
sical transfer Of men to their new
company assignments was an impos
sibility in the time allotted. Had the
Second been mobilized at Fort Lin
coin, the actual transfer could have
been made; the regiment, until mid
night Saturday was in control Of the
state of North Dakota, and any trans
fer which Adjutant General Fraser
may have chosen to make would have
been entitled to recognition. Such
transfer was made on paper, and there
is a record of it in the adjutant gen
erals Office. If the war department
chooses to recognize this transfer, the
Second is safe. If the war department
does not recognize this act as official
recognition for the Second as unit
may be forfeited.
If the regiment is not accepted as
a whole, it may mean the discharge
of Colonel Frank White and the en-
tire field and staff; the reorganization
of the II companies accepted into g
new regiment. and the offering OF
this regiment by the war department
with men of its own choosing, either
from the regular army or from some
other source.
Fate Of the Second.
For three hours Saturday night the
fate of the Second regiment hung in
the balance Adjutant General Fraser
and other military authorities were
thunderstruck when at 8 o'clock Sat
urday evening they received mes
sage from Brigadier General Mann O1
the militia bureau recognizing az
separate units the machine gun com
pany at Dickinson. Co. A, MinOt: Co
c. Crosby; Co. D. Devils Lake; Co. E
Langdon: Co. II. Harvey, and Co. |
Bismarck, with the officers in com
mand Of the same. except as to the
second lieutenant of Co. c, rejected
because he is under 81, but stating
that unless the remaining lettered
companies of the regiment are com
pleted at minimum strength of 1OC
enlisted men before midnight, the
companies B, F. X and l. and head
quarters and supply company cannot
be accepted as organizations, but the
enlisted strength will respond to the
draft as individuals. Should these
companies and regiment comply with
requirements as Of date midnight to-
night, they will be drafted August 5
The same rule will be followed as to
the sanitary detachment, whose recog
milton will depend upon that of the
regiment. The enlisted personnel
will depend upon that Of the regiment
The enlisted personnel being accept
ed in any event"
Deal Was Switched.
When the organization of the Sec
ond regiment was authorized June 30
local military authorities were assur
ed the regiment would be accepted
with a minimum strength of 65 men
to each company. The regiment was
recruited up to that strength within
ten days, and while none of the com
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