Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-06-02
Secretary Baker, Announces
That Change Is Made NeC-
essary on Account Of Lack
of Funds,
FOUR SITES CHOSEN
UNDER NEW ORDER
National Guard Organization
Is Proceeding Rapidly and
Entire Force Will Be Mus
tered in July 10,
10y MORNING Jouasa, ,rsersL LEASED w,ssl


Washington. June Important
revisions in the plan for training the
war army have been made by the war
department, which announced today
that the half million men to be called
to the colors in September will be con-
Centrated In sixteen cantonments IN
stead of thirty-two and that many of
the forces probably would be put into
tents instead of wooden barracks.
Lack of funds, material, labor and
transportation facilities Secretary
Baker said, were determining influ-
ences in the decision to reduce the
number of cantonments. The previous
plan to build thirty-two of the camps
was reached, it was explained after
congress had appropriated $77,0O0,O0o
on the theory that there would be only
sixteen For time the larger num-
Der seemed practicable but that would
have made a much greater deman1
on the overtaxed resources at the de-
partment's command.
Upsets Tentative Plan.
Although the change will upset all
the tentative plans for camp locations
made by department commanders, II
is not expected to delay beyond Sep
tember l the mobilization of the great
draft army. Four of the sixteen can
tonment sites provided for under the
new plan already have been selected,
and choice of the others is expected
soon. Secretary Baker indicated that
building would proceed as rapidly as
possible. The four sites selected are
at American Lake, Wash. Atlanta,
Ca. Ayre, Mass ana Wrightstown.
A more plentiful supply of canvas
than expected made it possible to put
some of the troops under tents. A
canvas shortage was largely responsi-
bic for the original plan to house the
army In wooden barrack, for army Of
ficials have perfected tenting from the
start. Most of the tents used prob
ably will be placed at southern camps.
VIII Use Some Tents.
In making the announcement Secre-
tary Baker said also that forces ~
excess of those which could be cared
for in the sixteen cantonments would
be placed under canvas. This was
taken as referring to national guard
divisions, although the militia bureau
has received no instructions in this
regard.
There is no indication of an inten-
ton to alter the plan for formation
of sixteen divisions of the guard Ihe
question of filling these UP to war
strength probably will not be settled
until selection of men for military
service in the draft army begins. III
is possible that it will be found better
at that time, If the state forces have
not been recruited to full strength. to
consolidate into smaller number OF
divisions. but under the law either the
regulars or guard can be filled up with
men from the selected lists If that ls
desired.
National Guard Mobilization.
Meantime the national guard units
of the eastern portion OF the country
will be drafted into the federal armies
on July Is. Undoubtedly they Will be
put under canvas as rapidly as dlVis-
ional mobilization is ordered and the
plain of training virtually all guard
divisions in the southern section of the
country will be adhered to. The guard
already has considerable supply of
tentage and the machinery of the
council of national defense is at work
endeavoring to secure enough Tor all
forces with little delay.
All of the guard units Will nave
been drafted into service by August
g. That does not mean, however, that
all will have been ordered to divisional
training camps at that time. Pre-
sumably the best equipped and re-
cruited forces will be ready first for
duty abroad. but there has been no
announcement as to the process to be
followed.
More than $4,000 guardsmen now
are engaged in police work, guarding
bridges, factories and other structures
and that work will have to be kept up