Evening star., 1917-06-30
RUSHING PREPARATIONS
FOR SUPPORTING army
War Department Taking Steps for
Getting State Troops to
Front Promptly.

Preparation Of the great forces that are
to support those already dispatched to
France are moving steadily ahead. both
in the army and navy. Tho announcement
that when the National Guard Is drafted
into federal service and mobiltzed 1t Will
be sent at once to the divisional train
ing camp sites in the southeastern, south
ern and western departments; was an
some delay in making the state troops
ready for the front.
There has been much speculation and
no authoritative announcement whatever
az to the use to be made Of the National
Guard. Tho existing units and those new
ones that aro ready for federal inspection
and recognition comprise the skeleton OF
sixteen infantry divisions. Under pres
would not be more than four or i've di-
visions complete enough to deserve that
name.
It seems likely that redistribution and
consolidation Of the force must be under
taken soon after they pass into the fed
eral service under the draft clause Of the
national defense act Probably twelve or
more complete infantry divisions could
then be organized. Certainly that num-
Der could be completed with the cavalry
employed dsmounted. as is now planned,
and used as provisional infantry regi-
ments.
Existing Force $50, 900 Full Strength
At full war strength the existing regi-
ments would represent a total force of
probably $4,000 men. OF that number
at least one-third are fairly well seasoned
troops, who already have had SIX or eight
months Of intensive instruction and ac-
tive, continuous service on tho bordsr In
the Judgment OF army officials that will
furnish q splendid nucleus to train the
new mon and insure the rapid passage OF
stages OF tts military education. Tho fact
that the guard camps are to be Of canvas
seens to indicate that it is not expected
to keep them in training on this side Of
the water for . very extended period
Additional training for numerous
guard artillery units soon will be in
progress, also. at the various officers
training camps. At least battalion
OF field artillery has been ordered to
each camp in order that the artillery
officer candidates for the national army
may have the means Of learning the
things they must later teach to the
training will be given to the guard
battalions as well. which will stand
them in good stead when they reach
France.
The greatest problem that faces the
War Department is to find supplies for
the steadily increasing host Of national
guardsmen, which moves to its mobili-
zation camps some time in July or
August. State officials have been no.
titled that it is impossible to fill requi-
sitions for new equipment that have
been pouring in. The first force to be
made ready must be the regular army.
expanded to 100000. The officers train
ing camps, where $4,000 men are under
quantity of reserve equipment.
Inspecting Militia Equipment.
A careful inspection Of all equipment
in the hands of the National Guard
is being made to ascertain the price
necessities of the force when Il fs fed
eralized. Fortunately. much Of the im-
pedtmenta necessary was supplied dur
ing the border mobilization and will
serve until more can be procured.
Guard regiments now have wagon
trainA a thing they never possessed
before the border trouble. These will
be employed at the divisional camps
where Necessary. When the regiments
go to France, however. the government
will be able to supply them with full
motor transport, as 1t has already
trucks Of various kinds.
The government already is taking
steps to look after the comfort Of tho
troops in Franco In addition to its
regular military preparations. The
State Department has asked that the
French duty on tobacco be remitted for
supplies sent to the American forces
there. Great Britain secured a similar
agreement at the outbreak Of the war.
as the high French duties IL imposed
on soldiers luxuries, would have been
almost prohfbitive.
The action is important, as the time
will soon come when the relatives and
friends Of men at the front will want
to send over such dainties as shipping
space will allow. A precedent for with
drawal OF the import tax on these will
have been established.