The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-03
EAGER TO GO TO FRANCE.
VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS
PREFER TO GO AS FIGHTERS.
TOO, INQUIRY DEVELOPS.
War Chief Cites the ValOr and Pa.
triOtism of Uncle Sans National
Soldiers.

Washington, Oct. 29.-Most of the
young men called for service in the
national army want to 60 to France
as fighting mon, and they. want to
get there quickly.
Reports from five or six of the big
training camps. Secretary Baker an
nounced tonight. show that, when
asked what they want to do. the great
majority of the selectmen saw thew
don't care what their job is jusr so
they get to France among the first.
and then, when given q choice be-
tween the combatant end non-com-
batant branches most OF them elect to
be fighters.
The boys at the front, and those
getting ready to go there, are all
right, Is the verdict of the secretary,
who recently visited several training
camps In the East and South. "Our
nation need have nothing but mount
ing pride at the spectacle they pre-
sent.
I'm these camps" said Mr.. Bakers
statement leach man is asked
What do you want to do?' have
had reports from five or six of the
largest camps. and they show that the
majority answered in effect: Don't
| care what I do just so I get to
France among the first The next
question asked them is. What branch
or the service do you PREFER Now
one who did not know America would
expect them to say, Well. I have been
working in a store;' I have been
working on a farm I have been q
mechanic; have been q clerk y
do not know much about guns and
cannon. perhaps some one of the non.
cOmbatanS places Is tho place where
can render the best service blu.
what is the fact?
These sons and brothers. drawn
out Of life by selection-more than
one-third have asked to 60 into the
infantry service. The next choice /.
the light artillery. and next Is the
heavy artillery service; the next is tho
aviation service.
so that what they asked for In
tremendous predominating major
ity Of instances is. not the non-com.
bative service. for which their pre-
vlous experience might we'll qualify
them. but the fighting branch, SO that
they can take the risk of fighting for
their country with the real weapons
of war;" 'Dt"
One day inspection 1T Camp Upton,
New York. for preference as to
branch of service showed: Infantry
772. cavalry 6. field and heavy artil-
lery 427. coast artillery 90, engineers
1873, signal corps and aviation 1913,
medical corps SO. quartermaster corps
SCI. ordnance IT. machine gun Z,
trains 4. veterinary service 1.
The gathering Of information as to
the mems preference for service IL
but small part of the work Of clas
styling the national army men tina,
Is being carried on under the direc.
ton of the committee on classiflca-
ton Of personnel in the army. vir-
tually the life history of every man
is set down by means of an elaborate
card system. the original being sent
to the divisional headquarters, where
divisional personnel officer studies
the answers given and classifies the
selected men according to his capabil-
tiles. The copy is kept in the company
records.
1t Is within the province of the PEI
sonnel officer to recommend the trans
fer from one company to another to
nil up deficiencies in expert men. such
as gunsmiths and the like.