Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-05-23
CONSCRIPTS MAY FILL
LOCAL BATTALIOHS
Officers Disheartened Over
Lack of Interest in
Militia Recruiting
FOUR MEN ENLIST
TODAY IN NAVY

That the two battaliOns Of the Del
aware National Guard will be filled "a
war strength by conscripts unless
men of the State OFFER their services
quickly, is a fact that is staring bhe
officers of the guard in the face. Des-
Dite the urgent appeals for recruits
and the diligent efforts of the men tC
secure recruits, there is compare
lively little response, and at this tins
the battahOns are lacking 752 men Oi
being up to war strength.
Adjutant General l. p. Wickersham
Major j. Warner Reed and their men
have put forth every effort to brine
men into the guard Little interest is
being shown. as is indicated by re.
ports OF the recruiting officers.
When men are conscripted. they
will be scattered throughout the va
rious units Of the fighting forces Of
the country having no choice what
ever, and being placed in regiments
where they have probably no friends.
To enlist now means that they will
be thrown in with men of their ac-
quaintance. for there are few men of
the State who have not q number of
friends in the guard This fact is
one that is pointed out by the officers.
The Delaware Guard may be in
creased to three battalions, or a regi-
ment, through conscriptiOn
Men enlisting at this time will be
given a chance for an assignment to
an officers training camp.
The guard is in need OF surgeon,
and efforts are being cxerted 10 secure
ono. A physician is given the COM
mission Of a lieutenant
Yesterday seven men were enlisted.
This greatly encouraged the officers.
but much disappointment was caused
this morning when only one man APP
piled, James NJ. Merchant.
Lieutenant William Berl. Jr., is in
charge Of the recruiting Located at
the old City Hall with him is Cor
poral Ray and Privates Cats and
Ponsall Corporal Earl J Holm and
Private Tidwell are on recruiting duty
at the tent on the Court House lawn.
The recruiting party on the Court
House lawn yesterday erected a regu-
iation 20. d. tent TO replace the
white canvas tent.
Corporal Lewis H. Smith Ia anx-
ious TO recover his Mexican border
service badge, which he lost at Shell
pot Park on Monday evening. The
badge bears his name on tho back.
and he desires the finder 10 return il
to him at the ArmOry.
The armories OF the companies Of
the second battalion. at Newark. Mil
ford Dover and New Castle are open
for recruiting. The recruiting, how
! ever, is slow
| 1t has been announced by the War
| Department that Delaware will be
called upon to furnish one battalion
| Of engineers. That this will be form
cd through conscription is the Opin-
ion here
The adiutant-genorals Of each OF
the States have received from the
War Department. complete informa-
ton about the quota assigned for
each State the unit to be comprised
End the order in which the units shall
be organized under the consczption
law.
Delaware's allotment comprises. o
400 men, divided as follows:
A-To Coast Artillery: Four COM
/ panies. with headquarters.
BIO Eighth National Guard In
fantry Division: One battalion engi-
neers. one headquarters train. one
ammunition train. one supply train,
one engineer train, one ambulance
company.
C-To Coast Defense supports: One
battalion of infantry
Delaware is in the Eighth Army
Division which also includes New
Jersey, Maryland. Virginia and the
District OF Columbia.
The navy recruiting station today
sent four men to Philadelphia. They
are: William Joseph Fitzgerald and
Thomas Daley. Of Trenton ~ w.; Eu-
gene Wilson Smmonds, OF Seattle
Wash, and Joseph William Gregg, OF
! this CITY.