New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-11
, a42 Selected Men in
Happy Mood on Trains
to Yaphank
Gen. Crowder Leads
Troops of First Draft
Thew Cheer Weeping Kin
and Members of Local
Boards

v,u York made her first conTibu-
s.r 20 the new National Army yester-
.,v morning. Five per cent Of the first
..ota-l942 selected mca--bade fare
r,u 70 civilian life and went cheer
,sry 70 Camp Upton.
With smiles on their faces the citizen
.,,5;ers reached this milestone in their
lives and spoke words Of encourage
r.n, 10 the fearful relatives they left
Lind The men boarded the trains
:. ysnbsrk. each with a small pack
~.a,, his arm. ready and willing to
.ne,r the hardshiDs Of camp life, and
:. Undergo the trials of actual battle
from Long Island City the Manhat-
-. ard thc Bronx men left. Most of
.. res. Ct the city's quota departed
,-on the Carlton Avenue yards, IN
E,ooklyn. A few were picked up at
Jamaica. It was said 1,l51 men LETT
from long Island City. Local board
members al both points of departure
,,norted that they had their full allot-
r,rts on hand, but in some few cases
Il was necessary to use the alternates
:, take the place Of missing men.
staten Islander First in Camp
Michael Decker. Of Bloomfield. Staten
leland. was the first man Of the new
National Army 70 officially set foot in
Camp Upton, Close behind him came
Tie vanguard Of the arriving citizen
soldiers and then a verita6le swarm Of
s.raw.hatted, shirt-sleeved men. whis-
fling and singing, but determinations
ing for a.! Of that. The moment the
las. man had stepped of the trains
bringing them 20 camp officers lined
,lem up in squads and the FIRST milf
arr command TO greet their ears was
Fall in."
Al the barracks the men were given
fin plates, porcelain cups, and knives,
forks and spoons. George ". Perkins,
H., son or the we'll known tnanc!er,
led the men N tnelr first assault on
Inc food layout, neaping his plate
e.;h PORK and beans. tomatoes, boiled
7OtatO and all the bread he could
carry. His companions lost little time
IT, following his example.
The only music 20 greet the men or
,reir arrival was that made by q steam
tractor. which was about the only thing
g L- q -H Hg~ usn ~
arrival. The only flag 10 be seen was
sma.. one q workman fastened 10
vheelbarrow he was truadling.
As the men detraineG and lined up in
their squads. the workmcn a. the camp
gave cacr group cheer and one or
two which came with banners bearing
such legends as "haiser's kanners'
Urion l57" and We're the Lucky 49,
got an extra round.
Men in Happy Mood
Many of the drafted men appeared 10
regard their selection for the army as
me beginning Of great adventure.
Before the trains pulled out they
formed in cheering squads and paid
their compliments 20 the members OF
the local boards who had picked them
for the first detachment.
President Wilson. the United States
aid the Allies came i'm for significant
cheers, and references b. the cheer
leaders TO Germany and the Kaiser
we're followed hy equally significant
uoaEs
Many OF the delegations from local
.cards carried signs TO express their
a2gfessivencss and their willingness 10
serve. One group called itself the
'kajser's kanners Union and conf
GENTLY hcra.dCd their purpose IN TINS
fashion; Were coming. Kaiser Billy;
you're going 20 lose your job!
Another district quotas banner read;
We're All Walking Delegates 70 the
Nsiser's Ksnuing Union.'
General Crowder Elatsd
Buradicr General Enocn T. Crowier.
provost marshal Of the United States
Army. who came from Washington 10
cad tee New York delegation on 10
lspharE seemed clateG over the spirit
OF the ccuscripts.
The buoyant drafted soldiers and en-
thusiastic officials stood of against
background Of weeping discOnSolate
relatives OF the selected men, who came
70 the stations 20 get a last look at
their men before they don their khaki
uniforms at camp to-day. II was re-
marked that scarcely a single stay-at-
home who went down TO say goodbyshad
dry eye, and that hardly one selected
man failed 10 appear smiling and happy
George W. Perkins, ir., in List
George W. Perkins. jr.. who was lead
er of the selected men from Board -,
Of The BroHX. left on the second train.
I'm glad 20 be with the bunch he
said. They're fine crowd Harry
iEobort Sgel grandson Of General
Franz S'gel, was another of the Bronx
contingent. Clarence SchmelzeL Re
publican leader of the old 18th District,
y Manhattan, was another in the draft.
oIt Tor the most part. the first detach-
ment was made up of cooks, mechanics
ana other men chosen because Of their
previous military experience.
thousands Of relatives waved Goodby
70 the 15l men who left from the
brooklyn station. From Brooklyn 70
Berlin and Pack with Tho kaiser's
mead interpret the spirit ofShe lads
rom across the river. A typical group
over there sang:
.Hulabaioo. hulabaloo.
We're the boys OF y.
Are We ready.
You cau bet
We will get the Kaiser yet