South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-05-05

act have been added. will total IL
233 officers and $685. men OF all
arms Since April l, nearly $4,000
recruits have been obtained, bring
ing the army up to nearly 10000.
Add TO Regulars.
Upon the presidents approval Of
the army bill, the first increment
will be added TO the regulars. Details
OF officers and designations of new
units already have been arranged. As
soon as possible thereafter the re-
naming increments will be created,
existing regiments being divided and
expanded TO form the new units.
Already orders summoning Off
GERS Of the regular service for ex-
aminations for advance in grade
have been prepared. Fifteen lieuten-
ant cOlOnels of cavalry will become
colonies; % cavalry majors will be-
como lieutenant colonies, IS cap
tains will become majors and all
lieutenants will become captains.
All field artillery lieutenant colo
nels and the first five majors will be
examined to become colonies. The
remaining majors and one captain
will go up TO lieutenant colonies.
20 captains will he examined for
majors. and all lieutenants will be-
come captains.
Many Promotions.
In the coast artillery Is lieutenant
colonies, must be promoted TO colo
nels; % majors become lieutenant
colonies. all captains will become
majors. and the first go lieuten-
ants will be examined for captains.
All second lieutenants become first
lieutenants.
In the infantry the first so lieu
tenant colonies will be examined to
become colonies. Majors down to
number IS go up for lieutenant
colonies; the first 200 captains are
slated for majors and all present
first lieutenants and second lieuten-
ants including the first 1853 will be-
come captains.
The result of this expansion will
be TO create 5,461 vacancies in the
grades of first and second lieuten-
ant i'm the army. More than a thou
sand youths in civil life already have
applied for examination for second
and 4. 900 will be selected
from the officers training camps.
New General Officers.
To provide general officers to
command the IS divisional training
camps that number of army colonies
may be examined. AS there exists
already one vacancy in the grade of
brigadier general, 10 new general
officers must be appointed in the
near future, and the army bill pro-
vides that the president may select
these men from any source. A uni
form grade of major general, senior
and junior rank has been proposed,
doing away with the grade of briga-
der general. In any event the pres
ent general officers of wide expert
ence probably will be selected so
far as possible to command the di-
visiOnal camps.
The full strength Of the national
guard units now existing will be g.,
SAT officers and 329,954 men, giving
a total regular and national guard
force to be whipped into shape be
fore the new army is called of 81
OSO officers and 622,954 men. New
units, must be created however. to
fill out tactical organizations and
probably the total Of this first force
will exceed 100000 active troops,
backed by about 100000 more in
the regimental recruit battalions.
Second Big Army.
From this force will be formed
IS divisions corresponding 10 the or
ganization of the first new army
From il also. early in September
will be drawn some 1000 officers
and on-commissioned officers who
will constitute the framework on
which the new army will be shap-
ed.
There will. with the 10000 Off
GERS to be selected from the train
ing camps. be the instructors of the
first army and on their efficiency
rests the whole military fabric that
is TO be built up.
In general the plan Will be TO pro-
vide a regular army officer 70 COM
mand each new regiment, with an
adequate number of regular or ma
tional officers Of experience to carry
on efficiently the administrative du-
ties and to supervise instruction.
During the interval between the
registration and the calling out Of
the new army, the regular and ma
tional guard divisions will be at
work preparing the mobilization
camps and with their own training.
To them also will continue TO fall
the duty OF protecting public and
private property. The commander Of
each training district probably will
direct this work under the orders
of the commander Of the military
in which his camp is
located.
Generous pockets and narrow