The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-06-05
Ii0.cGO GUARDSMEN WILL BE
on WAY TO FRANCE By FALL

Washington, June 2-The United
States will send $1,000 0troops to Ed
rope before winter, according to plans
being worked out by the army general
staff today. Approximately 100000
will be National Guardsmen.
The guard regiments will be given
a short period of Intensive training
at their State camps and the federal
divisional encampments, and then will
be sent to France to complete their
preparation behind the lines as an
nounced by the international News
Service last night The entire COM
mand will be under Maj. Gen. John J.
Pershing.
The sending of the Guardsmen
abroad is in answer to the appeal OF
France for man power. The pressing
necessity for every soldier available
at the front if Germany is to be de-
feated has been made clear to Pres1-
dent Wilson by Marshal Joffre and
others. The decision to send the
Guardsmen abroad was taken. it is
stated. because the majority of them
already have had training on the bor-
der, while the regular army is needed
to train the 100000 selective conscripts
who will be ordered out early in Sep
tember. .:
Five Divisions.
Present plans of the general staff
call for the sending of five divisions
of National Guardsmen to France by
the end of September. The movement
is expected to begin in August.
The divisions will be made dD OF
regiments which, showed the best con-
diton while on the border. Illinois and
New York will be expected to supply
practically their whole strength, it IS
said. Ohio and Kentucky will be call
ed upon for a heavy draft.
An American division numbers ap-
proximately 2S,o90. This would make
the total force Of Guardsmen sent
abroad 14e,0ee. All the militia regi-
! ments are wei! equipped and have
their own tentage and selecting them
2; to go abroad would lift a great weight
/ from the quartermaster generals de-
partment, already hard pressed with
preparations for the reception Of the
draft army.
F., The Guardsmen have been ordered
! out in three increments beginning
j July Is. They will be held at their
/ State camps for about two weeks, &C
cording to the plans Of the war de-
partment and then will be modified
at divisional camps in the South.
Conscripts.
Preparing for the influx of con-
/ scripts the war department today also
proceeded with arrangements for can
tonment camps. Six sites, all for ma
tional army cantonments, out of II Sc
lected under the 80 cantonment plan,
i were reapproved today. They are at
Ida Vista, Calf; Columbia, S. c.;
Wrightstown, N. j.; American Lake,
Wash; Atlanta, Ca, and Aver, Texas.
Secretary of War Baker refused to
,, comment this afternoon on the plan
to send National Guardsmen to Eu-
rope.
"The only announcement so far
made is that a division will be sent to
Europe under Gen. Pershing, he said.
"Any other announcement that the de-
partment may have to make will be
given out as it is deemed expedient.
Secretary Baker let it be known that
he is urging action by congress in
making Gen. Pershing lieutenant
general. His recommendations are
that all the officers now holding the
rank of major general be made lieu
tenant generals, and that the brigadier
generals be made major generals. He
! would abolish the rank Of brigadier
general, having two grades in the ma
| jor general rank.