The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-17
CARE FOR BOYS
POtwin Girls Organize Relief
Corps for Battery A.
Captain MacLean Busy Weed
ing Out Married Men.
SERGEANT WILSON TO STICK
Wife Wants Him to Fight for
His Country, She Says.
One Man to Be Dismissed by
Officer in Charge.
SERGEANT WILSON TO STICK

Activities at the Battery A armory
were today directed toward compiling
a list of members of the organiza-
ton who are married or have other
dependents. That in face of the war
department bulletin ordering all mar
ried men and those with others de-
pending upon them be mustered out
of the national guard and regular
army service Captain w. P. Mac
Lean, commander of Battery A, today
said that he would not lose more
than fifteen or sixteen men by the or
der. The men will be dismissed just
before the guard is mustered into the
federal service, it is said.
Captain MacLean today said he
would not lose his first sergeant, c.
E. Wilson, who by being married
would be compelled to muster out,
as it was at first supposed by the
battery officers. Wilson, since that
time, has been working overtime try
ing to devise means of staying in
the organization. His wife thought
the same way about it and as she
has other means of support aside from
her husband, she signed a statement
saying so. Wilson produced this state
ment and was allowed to remain on
the job. Captain MacLean said that
he did not expect to lose his chief
mechanician, Jim Whitaker, who, aft
er twelve years with the artillery, was
formed the captain that he expects to
go when the battery is called out.
Free Man Dismissed.
The men who are mustered out will
be those who have wives dependent
upon them for support or some other
members of the family. Captain Mac
Lean today recommended one man
for discharge.
This fellow" said MacLean, has
been claiming he has to support his
| mother. He has other brothers and
sisters and doesn't have to do so. In
fact she is well taken care of. He has
been telling a number of the boys he
didn't want to go to war anyway and
would blow off couple of fingers to
get out of it. 1 don't think 1 want
any of the men in the battery to do
that when we have SO many real men
waiting to get in
Girls Form Relief Corps.
Life for the battery on the firing
line will not be without remembrances
| from home This morning, it was an
nounced, a relief corps for the battery
was being formed by girls in the Pot
win neighborhood. Misses Lucille and
! Corinne Smith are at the head of the
| movement. The former is a junior
in high school and the latter is in the
| junior high school at Sumner. The
corps plans to send books, ma gaines,
cIes to the men after they leave To-
| peka.
| Plans for the benefit to equip a
| motor truck for the battery which will
! be given at the Orpheum theater Fri
day night continued to go forward to-
day. The battery will take part in
the program and will be represented
with several sketches. Seats are SELL
ing fast. However. some good ones
are yet obtainable. it was said today.
| Recruiting officer Province of the
naval station here today received or
derS to enlist boilermakerS and ma
chinist mates from applicants be-
| tween the ages of Is and q. This is
! the first time such enlistments have
been made from men under age.
Apprentices to Join?
| Province believes the order will
| bring a number of apprentices from
| the Santa Fe shops into the army.
Two years experience is all that is
necessary to enlist under the order
which makes it possible for number
! of Topeka apprentices to finish learn
| ing their trades in the navy.
Two men were recruited for the
navy today. They were: Walter
Francis Snow, Route Chester, Mimi,
and Clarence w. Wykert, Soldier.
| Kan.
Province today received several
slides from Kansas City to be shown
| in an advertising campaign to be put
on in Topeka theaters.