Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1917-06-13
GUARD RECRUITS MAY
WITHDRAW FROM SERVICE
Continued from page one.)
Bluff.
Nav Name Officers.

Having urged enlistment in the COM
rany on these conditions, The Graphic
felt a sense of responsibility in the
matter. When some Of the men pro-
tested against being sent to the First
regiment companies, and declared the
conviction that a full company could
be recruited here by local men, The
Graphic communicated by telephone
with Governor Brough and General
England. The acknowledgement de-
clared that the recruits for the Pine
Bluff company would not be compelled
to enter any other organization in a
body, unless they elected to do so.
He took broad view of the matter,
as did Captain Clarke. General Eng
land said Captain Clarke had been
assigned to Pine Bluff only after sew
eral prominent local men had de-
clined to recommend any one here for
appointment to recruit a company,
and after reports had reached the
djutant-general's office that two at
tempts by Pine Bluff men to organize
a unit of the guard had failed. The
Graphic informed General England
that these reports were erroneous.
oCl1Ci al dullOuIlCGQ JILdl III
Pine Bluff organized company the
men forming the organization could
select the commissioned officers, pro-
vidirg the men chosen are qualified
to serve. Or, he said, if Pine Bluff |
sends as many as SO men to a COM
pany. the city could have one of the
commissioned officers
Several Of the men who have en-
listed declared aversion to being di- |
vided among other companies, and !
urged Henry Roberts, well-known !
young insurance man, and Claude |
Pledger, cotton buyer, to use them as
nucleus for the formation of a |
strictly Pine Bluff company for the
guard. 1t is probable that requests |
for authority to recruit a company
will be made today to General Eng
land, the men to select their officers !
after the company is organized.
Clarke Ready to Release Men.
. Captain Clarke late last night ex-
pressed doubt that a company can be
recruited here. even by local men,
II do not thing it possible to organ
ize company here" he said to The
Graphic. 81 have done all in my
power, including the holding of patri-
otto rallies here and in surrounding
towns, obtaining publicity in the Pine
Bluff newspapers-the papers have
certainly done their part-and person.
ally canvassing, talking and urging
the boys, and have secured only SO
recruits in three weeks. The Rotary
club members each promised to bring
in
one
ITO organize company $50 men
have to be enrolled and pass the ply
steal examination" he continued.
Allowing for the customary one-third
who fail, necessitates the enlistment
OF more than 200 men. That means
that 166 men, at least, will have to
be enrolled between now and June 80,
the designated date for the commence
ment of Consumption.
81 will follow the instructions of |
General England, and will have ply
stefan here tomorrow to examine the
men l have enlisted. If they are
willing, they will be sent to the First |
regiment or any other branch of SER
vice they wish. II they want to leave
the army altogether, they are at lib
erty to do so, as they enlisted only
for the Pine Bluff company, and can
not be forced to go to any other
branch, until conscripted."
Captain Clarke secured Sc men in
the three weeks he was here. He will |
remain in the city few days longer
and those wishing to enlist are asked |
to see him at the Hotel Pines.