Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-09-05
READY FOR DRAFT
MEnAT THE CAMP
Canfonmenf Officials Prepared to Re-
eeiye First Increment at Des
Mcines Today.
COURTESY Will DE INSISTED on
GoIdfers in Ne4v National Army VIII
BE Assured Of Good Treatment
By the Officers
oaclalI to Ths Argus

Camp Dodge la. Sept. Camp
Dodge was In readiness today 70 re-
csfve the fret increment OF the new
national army scheduled 70 arrive
late this afternoon.
Cantonment officials have been
marking time, awaiting the arrival OF
the first Increment % drafted men
Col. r. p Howell was chosen 10 act
as receiving officer and # was also
announced that Colonel William New
man Of the depot brigade had been
appointed senior mastering officer
Assistants have been assigned 10 bOth
officers and they have all details ar
ranged so that selected men can be
handled quickly,
Colonel Newman has established
an office In the division guard house,
near division headquarters As the
men report to him from the receiving
officers headquarters. which IS in
building il. they viii be sent 70 one
of the 2 assistants. Cards viii pc
handed tn 10 the mastering Officers
the men will be sworn In and as
signed 10 companies.
Officers to Receive Men.
After the men have been assigned,
uffcers will be outside the building to
march them 70 their new homes The
barracks at the south end Of the
camp are ready for occupancy by
drafted men and the IL skeleton regi-
ments viii become a reality, instead
of paper regiments.
The selected men viii not be COM
PEELED TO 20 through with all the for
malities that formerly existed when
one Joined a regular army or national
guard organization. Finger prints
are taken in the other organizations.
This will be dispensed with in the
national army. as will the photo
graphing Of the meI.
Drafted men viii be given their
initial issue of cots, blankets and
mess kits upon arrival Hats and
shoes have arrived and Will be issued
within the week
Courtesy TO All,
officers of the camp wish the draft
ed men TO realize that they viii he
treated with all courtesy and that as
long as each man adheres TO army
rules and regulations he will have
the respect of officers. The men in
charge are TO make soldiers ont OF
the seIective draft men and Jhat wiz
be their only idea.
Agitators against the draft have
created false impression regarding
The manner in which the national
army is TO be treated. With the com
pany and regimental officers coming
from civil life it can easily he seen
that the officers have the same feel
ing towards the men as they did be
fore the draft law became effective.
Everything VIII be done for the
comfort of the men Those who are
slow in picking up military drills
will not be Inundated; rather the
opposite, they will be given special
instruction and will be placed on par
with those of their comrades who
learned more quickly
Nonc0ms Arriving.
Noncommissioned officers for the
national army division at Camp
Dodge have started TO report and the
cantonment is now more than merely
a camp filled with officers. Twelve
men who did not receive commissions
MT Fort Smelling, but who enlisted in
the national army as n0ncoms, after
the school course was over, have ar
rived in camp They were assigned
to brigade headquarters temporarily,
and later on viii be sent to various
companies probably Is first sergeants
or regimental sergeant majors.
Other n0ncommissiOned officers
viii arrive today and by Sept all
of the men who enlisted in the ma
tional army for service at Camp
Dodge will have arrived
Officers 60 South
The 200 officers who were ordered
TO Houston, Texas, to be transferred
10 the Thirty third national guard di-
vision have left for their new station
Pay call was blown for them in the
afternoon and the remainder of the
day was spent in packing and getting
ready 10 go south,
Brigade headquarters for the four
hrigades are ready for occupancy
and the brigadier generals with mem
bers Of their staff viii move in this
morning Regimental headquarters
have not yet had finishing touches
put on them but will be ready by
AFedn esday morning
Major NJ a. Butler, construction