The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-06
MANY V|RG|N|ANS TO
TRAIN At FORT MYtR
Fully zoo Richmond Boys Enlist I'm
Officers Reserve Corps, Others Be
ing From Nearby Cities.
TRAINING WILL BEGIN MAY "a
Thousands of Young Men VIII Short
ly Respond to Call to Uphold Ira
ditions That Have Been Made With
Each Succeeding Generation.

Tmbued with the desire 10 serve
their country with all their talents and
energies in the war with Germany,
241 young men Of Richmond and sur
rounding cities have enlisted in the
officers reserve corps to undergo
training at Fort Myer, Va. which will
equip them for commissions in the
immense army to be raised by the
government. This announcement was
made last night by Major Letcher
Hardeman, the United States army
officer on duty here receiving appli-
cations for the reserve corps. or the
total number. fully 200 are from Rich
mond, the remainder being from other
cities.
-A-fuu realization the serious
ness of the present war of the United
States with the government of Ger
many brought the young men out in
large numbers. There were fully 400
from Richmond alone who endeavor-
ed TO obtain admission to the train
ing camp. but half that number was
rejected on account of physical oh
tections. lack Of necessary education
and other reasons. 1t is declared.
however that the desire of the young
men Of this vicinity to serve under
! the Stars and Stripes is splendid
show of patriotism, and augurs well
for the future, when at the country's
call, thousands OF the young men of
the state will respond with the same
show Of loyalty.
That the young men of the state.
those between twenty-one and thirty
years of age. wish to be the first to
fight for the cause for which Ameri-
can has taken up arms, is shown by
the average age of the men enlist
ing In the officers reserve corps.
which IS twenty-six years These are
the men who want action. and in
order to prepare to receive it on the
fields and in the trenches of France
fighting with the French and Eng
lish allies, they will undergo inten-
slve training for three months at
Fort Myer. beginning with May Ia.
Yesterday was the last day on which
applications would he received for
entrance at the training camp ON
Monday Major Hardeman will receive
applications from such men as he be-
lieves to be especially qualified to take
the training for commissions in the
army. After tomorrow, only when a
vacancy occurs at the camp, will 9TH
er applications be considered.
About 500 From State
While there are no reports in the
hands Of Major Hardeman TO indi-
cate Just what the enlistments in the
officers reserve corps have been in
other large cities In the state. there
IS, every reason TO believe that there
has been the same evidence of pa
triotism In them that spurred the
young men of Richmond to seek SER
vice and action. 1t Is estimated that
around 500 young men from the state
of Virginia have been recommended
for the training at Fort Myer
corps of engineers. United States
army. at Norfolk. yesterday announced
that the full quota of reserve engineer
officers and applicants recommended
for such commissions has been desig-
mated for attendance at the various
training cam ps. TIE provide for va-
cancies occurring at the last minute.