The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-03-28

Mai. Gen. Leonard Wood is trans
ferred from command of the De-
partment of the East to the South
eastern department with headquar-
ters at Charleston, S. C.
Washington, March 25-President
Wilson took steps today to place the
nation on a war footing.
By executive order he directed
that the navy be recruited without
delay to the full authorized war
strength of $1,000 enlisted men.
Taken in connection with emergency
naval construction already ordered
his means that the president has
exercised the full limit of his legal
powers as commander in chief to pre-
pare the navy for war.
For the army, the president di-
rected that two new military de-
partments be created in the Atlantic
coast region. The order means that
the task of organizing whatever
army congress may authorize will be
divided among six departmental
commanders instead of four in the
interest of speed and efficiency in
mobilization. The third step was to
assume as a national duty the task
of protecting American industries
from domestic disorders in the event
of hostilities. For this purpose II,
full infantry regiments, two separ-
ate battalions and one separate
company of the National Guard
were called back into the federal
Service to act as national police in
important districts. Supplementing
these troops a regiment of Pennsyl-
vania guard and two companies of
Georgia infantry en- route home from
the border for muster out were or
dered retained in the federal ser
vice.
No Comment Made. 9.
The presidents orders were made
known in terse official statements is
sued by both departments. No ex-
PLANTATION accompanied them ex-
cept the statement that reorganiza-
ton Of the military departments ef-
fective May 1, was designed to facil-
itate decentralization of command.
Following the executive order
bringing the navy up to war
strength:
"By virtue of the authority vested
in the president by the act of con-
gress August 20, 1916, entitled AN
act making appropriations for the
naval service for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1917, and for other
purposes, it is hereby directed that
the authorized enlisted strength Of
the navy be increased to $1,000.
(Signed) Woodrow Wilson" "
The war department statement
follows:
"To facilitate decentralization
of command the United States is
divided into six military depart
ments in place of the four now ex-
isting. The new organization be-
comes effective May 1, 1917, and
comprise the following:
"A-Northeastern department, to
embrace the State Of Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,,
Rhode Island and Connecticut. Head
quarters at Boston.
"B-Eastern department, to en-
brace the States Of New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland and Virginia, West Virgin
ia, District of Columbia and the
canal zone and the Island Of Puerto
Rico with the islands and keys ad-
jacent thereto. Headquarters at
Governors island.
Moved 70 Charleston.
"C-Southeastern department, to
embrace the States of Tennessee,
North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Miss
issippi, with coast defenses of New
Orleans and the coast defenses of
Galveston. Headquarters at Char
lesion, s. c." @-.