New-York tribune., 1917-07-18
Lively Pace Kept Up in
City's Armories, Despite
the Heat
Many Recruits
Being Drilled
Equipment Slow in Com
ing, and Lack of 1t May
Mar Parade

The work of preparing the National
Guard for the path that leads TO France
and the trenches was carried on yester-
day in steaming armories and sunbaked
city streets. Neither heat nor the abb
sence of definite orders concerning the
time of departure caused officers or
men to slackcn their pace.
In the Goth Regiment Armory squads
Of young men stumped noisily about
the great wooden drill floor, formed
long lines before medical examining
officers or studied the bolts and sights
of the Springfield under the tute!age
Of top sergeants. The 7th Regiment
practically moved out of doors, and
Park Avenue and the cross streets nea'
the armory were full of ma rching sol
ders.
II did not require a practise6 eye 20
see how great has been the last hour
rush to join the National Guard, for
wherever squads manGuvred yesterday
the uniform that predomint ted was cut
on the lines Of peace. Every armory
was alive with soldiers who were learn
ing the meaning of "Sql ads right,
while their white collars wilted and
the creases in their trousers steadily
retreated toward the vanishing point.
Equipment is being issued, but it is
coming slowly, and the inability to
speed up the process may mar if it
doesn't spoil the farewell parade, which
has just been approved by Major Cen
eral j. Franklin Bell, commander Of
the Department of the East.
General Bell heartily approves the
parade" Major General Organ said
Yesterday. "When or where it will be,
however, we cannot say. Our first con-
Germ will be for the details of the mus
ter, equipment and supply. These ought
to be completed within two weeks, and
then we can have the parade"
SNStt0l Is
The present system of is ling equip
ment has frequently been criticised by
army officers, notably Major General
Wood. The order must start from Wash
ington and come downward through the
grades. a procedure that : still fur
ther slowed up by the fact that equip
meat for all the fighting forces in the
Eastern Department is kept only in the
government depot at Philadelphia.
1t was this highly centralized system
that caused recruits TO go TO the bor-
der last summer in civilian clothes, and
il seems likely that the same thing VIII
happen again, according to army Off
GERS. The remedy is branch depots and
elimination Of red tape. permitting
commanding officers to issue orders for
equipment
Despite such handicaps to complete
mobilization, officers and men worked
cheerfully at examinations and drill.
The percentage of loss through rejec-
tion for physical disability was said
to be small in all units, and such gaps
as were created were filled by the last
minute applicants.
Artillery Ordered to Posts
Orders for the disposition of the Sth
9th and 18th Coast Defence commands
were received at division headquarters
/ National Guard. yesterday. When the
mobile troops 60 to Spartanburg the
heavy artillerymen will 60 to the fol-
lowing posts:
Forts Totten and Schuyler-25th
9th, 2Sth, 29th, 31st, 32d, 34th and
/ 36th companies OF the Sth Coast De-
| fend Command.
! Forts Wadsworth and Hamilton-lst
| 10 18th companies Of the 18th and Goth
( 30th. 33d and 35th companies Of the
Sth Coast Defence Command. Practi-
cally the entire 9th Coast Defence Com
/ mand will be sent to Sandy Hook. Two
companies of the 18th viii be held foi
/ Fort Rockaway.
General O'Ryan was reminded yes
/ terday that the state constitution pro.
vides for the presence in the state al
/ all times OF force Of 10000 men. and
/ he was asked what steps had been
/ taken to organize such a force.
The adjutant general has beer
working out plans for that for some
/ time, | understand" he said. "Briga'
/ der General George X. Dyer was ir
/ charge of the details the last | heard
/ IL would not come under my command
and would not be known as the Ma
I tional Guard, but probably as Homo
/ Depot units. II could be made up oI
veterans OF the National Guard who
have dependents, men in the depo'
units Of the Guard regiments and mer
! who have been rejected from the GuarC