Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-06
100000 MEN ARE
IN i. S. SERVICE
Land and Sea Forces of Amer
lea to Total Million and
a Half Next Month

than 100000 men are to-day bearing
arms for the United States govern
ment in the war with Germany. This
fact was accomplished when, at one
stroke, the national guard of the
country was by presidential procla-
mation drafted in federal service.
There are more than 100000 in the
national guard units to-day, taken
into federal service. Under the law
and by proclamation of President
Wilson. they were discharged from
state service when they were drafted
into federal service.
When war was declared in April
there were rot more than 10000
men in the regular army. This
looked like a small force with which
to enter the greatest war in history
against the nation that boasted the
possession of the greatest military
last there were approximately $4,000
men in the United States Maya
force that has been more than
doubled in the past four months.
The army and navy together had
scarcely more than 100000 men at
the beginning of April. During the
intervening months, through inten-
sive recruiting activity and the util-
ization and enlargement of the
u,
arms has been almost quadrupled
and numbers not less than 500, ,742
men to-day, exclusive of men in
training in the officers training
camps, which number about 10000
men. 1t is also exclusive of the
force of $4,000 men to be sent into
cantonments next month as a result
of operations of the national draft
act for the new national army.
1,469,752 Next Month
When the 6S7.O0O men who are
to be drafted enter camp for train
ing and are added to the force of
100000, which represents in round
numbers the number of men under
arms in federal service to-day, the
United States will some time next
month have not less than 1,496,752
under arms on land and sea, at home
and abroad. This may be justly con-
sidered a considerable achievement
for a nation that had not more than
n quarter of a million under arms
four months ago.
These figures may seem surprising
but are based on the latest obtain
able official figures bringing the
army, navy, marine corps and other
branches of the united services al
most to date. On August the
strength of the marine corps was
29,153. On August / the strength OF
the navy was 1900. On June 80
the strength of the national guard
was S0S,579. On August 4 the
strength of the army was approx
mately 295,00O men. which lacked
| just 5000 men of its maximum war
strength. On August 10 there were
10000 men in the national naval
volunteers and $4,000 men in the
naval reserves.
The total of these figures-S0S,75
| is the number of men under arms
in the federal service since the draft
| ing of the national guard into the
service of The United States govern
ment. The government is examining
men for the first draft of 6S7, 7,00C
men. These will be sent to the six
teen cantonments next month, which
are now being provided for their
training and shelter, so that when
| the draft force of the national army
has been added there will next month
be 6S7. 900 more men under arms, OIL
total of 1,496,000. Part of this
| draft force of S67, 900 men, amount.
| ing to nearly 100000 men, will be
used in raising the national guard
| force to its war strength of 100000
men Later there will be a second
force of 500,000 drafted for the ma:
! tional army. and this will swell the
| total on land and Sc to 1,996,00C
under arms.
Guard Called on June 0
On June 0 President Wilson issued
his proclamation calling" the ma.
tional guard into. federal service in
| three increments. All three of these
increments, embracing more thar
| 800, 900 men, were also automatically
| drafted into federal service. The ma.
! tional defense act of June 3. 1916
authorized the President to draft
! the state militia into federal service
whenever he has been authorized by
Congress to employ the armed forces
of the nation. The President was sc
authorized by Congress when wal
was declared on Germany. Ever
since then the President has had
power to draft" the entire guard
Under his proclamation of June 0
| that was done to-day.
! The troops in the federal service
now are absolutely under control oi
! the President with respect to orders
appointments, promotions and In
| every respect are subject to the laws
and regulations governing the armies
| of the United States, of which the
| drafted guardsmen are now part fol
the period of the war. They may
now be used at home or abroad and
! can be ordered to any part of the
world by the President. just as II
! they were regulars. Thoy draw the
same pay as regulars of correspond
ing rank and will be eligible, like
| regulars. to participate in the bene-
! fits of all the federal pension laws.