The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-05-26
ORGANIZATION OF ARMY.
War College Plans Total First For,c
OF 5aS,659 Men and 1883 Officers.

War College Plans Total First For,.s
OF 5aS,658 Men and 1883 Officers
washington, May 21.-The plans
prepared at the army war college fo,
organization of the first 500, 900 of the
new selective draft national army con.
template the distribution of these
troops as follows:
Divisions-Sixteen infantry diyi.
sions, each, 913 officers and 27,24a
men; sixteen divisional hospitals. each
"a officers and 222 men; sixty-four
camp intirmaries, two cavalry divis.
ions, each COZ officers and 16,O21 men;
two divisional hospitals for cavalry
each "a officers aSd 23S men; six
camp infirmaries, medical crops, to
tai, 2SS officers and 1000 men, and
coast artillery corps. 666 officers and
10000 men. 4..
Army corps troops-Sixteen bri-
gades field artillery. heavy. each 4S
sfficers and 1889 men; eight aero
squadrons, each, 10 officers and $50
men; eight balloon companies, eacl,
1s officers and 1874 men; ten field hos
pitals, each, six officers and 73 men
ten ambulance companies. each FIVE Of
ticers and $50 men; twenty-five field
bakeries, each one officer and 81 men
six telephone battalions each 10 off,.
ficers and 215 men; sixteen pack com.
panies. each, IA men; six ammuni.
ton trains, each, four officers and
$50 men; six supply trains, each, two
officers and 426 men.
Grand total, all units. 1883 off,
GERS and 52s,65s enlisted men.
According to the plans of the war
department. each regiment of the new
forces will be commanded by an off,
Ger of the regular army, and at least
one Of the majors and all the staff Of
fcers will he experienced men from
the regular army.
It is estimated that some $4,000 Of
ficers will be required for the military
establishment within the next few
months. a.-
The regular army needs about s.
$50 additional officers, and the first
100000 Of the new national army will
require 1850 officers: and. there
fore. II possible. $4,000 officers will be
appointed by the time the first con-
scripted quota has completed It's train
ing. Adding to this number the off,
GERS that must be left behind as I'M.
structors Of reserve units, and those
that must be supplied to the greatly
increased supply and other depart.
ments. It would appear that $4,000
would be a conservative estimate Of
the number to be added to the com.
inissioned personnel Of the military
establishment.
The National Guard val have an
allowance of 9,s47 officers for the
329.g64 men included in the present
authorized strength, the total when
all existing units are fully recruited.
The statement of the secretary Of war
that, in his opinion, officers Of the
guard were needed with their regi-
ments, and, therefore. they would not
be eligible for attendance at the off,
GERS training camps. seemed to in
dicate that few Of the $4,000 officers
to be obtained for the national army
will be taken from the National Guard
organizations of the States. .
The additional pay allowed for the
enlisted force Of the military estab-
lishment of the legislation authorizing
the raising of the new national army
by no means represents the increased
cost Of maintaining the personnel.
For example, computations by the
food experts of the quartermastcr
corps show that the next estimates
for subsistence Of tho army will have
to be on the basis Of a 32-cent daily
ration. as compared with q cents only
four months ago.
A further indication of the effect Of
the rising cost Of all materials Is
shown in the statement that the per-
capita cost Of personal equipment in
the quartermaster estimates for the
new army is s1s4. as compared with
SITS about six months ago. This
equipment includes shoes. socks. uni
farms half of n sheiter-tent and nth.