New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-08
America Will Send Nine
New Regiments of Rail-
way Builders
Start at Earliest
Possible Moment
Volunteers Are to Rebuild
Roads Destroyed by
the Germans

the Germans
Warrington. May Nine new regi-
-,r,s Of army engineers. to be com
.n,s5 exclusively Of highly trained
..,.,.v men. viii be the first American
.-o,,. 20 be sen, 20 Europe. They will
- "a. the earliest possible moment
=. Wa- Department announced to-day,
-, work on communication lines, but
.,.,plstioa as TO exactly when they
r;u start or 90 what points they will
b. sent IS forbidden because Of the
submarine menace.
As the German forces have been
,,...n hack. every vestige Of the rail-
v,r line. that have supplied their
.or,es has been destroyed. With every
nile gained. both French and British
b,-s faced the task Of building new
-,arosds as the distributing centres
tor the trenches were moved forward.
v,,b movement has meant an added
train On the reads leading back to the
grsat supply bases and the added task
%, the communication line forces OF
rreveniing congestion.
To Aid in Big Tasks
!. IS 10 aid in such gigantic opera
,iops as these. 90 apply American oper-
,,iro skill 10 the task and American
railway efficiency generally TO the
transportation problems. that the new
regiments ere 10 be formed and hur-
red 70 France. 1t is possible that they
will be able 70 help speed the pursuit
should the present great battles force
new German retreat, and to hurry
the guns forward for the attack on the
next defence lire.
The new forces will be volunteers,
raised at the nine great railway cen
tres Of the country. Each regiment
will be commanded by an engineer colo
mel OF the regular army, aided by an
a5iutsnt. All other officers will be
railway engineers or officials.
Recruiting for the regiments and the
orgsnization of each force will be d.
reetly under the colonel Of each regi-
ment. Recruiting machinery OF the
regular service or the National Guard
win be placed at their service, and II
is hoped the enrolment will take mt,
Ne time The recruiting points VIII
be New York, Chicago, ST. LOUIS, Dos
ton. Pittsburgh. Detroit, Atlanta, San
Francisco and Philadelphia.
Unions Expected to Help
officials believe the great railroad
brotherhoods will cooperate, throw
ing the strength Of the unions beehlnd
the recruiting efforts. The railway
companies already are so organized
under the Council Of National De-
fence that their cooperation IS as.
sured The engineers and oihcials OF
he lines who offer themselves Will be
selected IN such manner as not 10
cripple the operating forces OF any
company. 49,,
The expedition will have total
strength Of between 1000 and lZ,OOU
men, each regiment being composed oI
,vo battalions of three companies
each. Every branch of railway work
srs necessary TO the oullolhg Oi
operation Of lines viii be represeh'eu
in the ranks, and the War DeparI,,
mest expects a response TO tne can
hat will permit a careful seIecIloli
and insure a force already trained 10
,he minute. an army Of experts III
railway operation.
Departments Statement
The departments statement fol-
lcvs:
The War Department has sent out
orders for the raising as rapldly as
possible Of nine additional regiments
Of engineers which are destined 10
proceed 70 France at the earliest pos,
sible moment for work on the lines OF
communication. II is requested OF
the press that no speculation OF
rumors regarding this force be car
ned other than that given out. -,
"All details regarding the force VIII
be given out as fast as compatible
with the best public interests.
The decision TO send the engineers IS
understood 20 have grown out OF con
fefenees here between government ON ,
Gals and members Of the French ana
British war missions. One Of the great
est problems Of the war has been that
Of maintaining adequate supply lines
and the railroads are the vital elemeht I
o. the system that feeds shells and FOOD
toward the fighting front from Chan
nel ports and from France.
Engineering feats Of spectacular ma
iure have been accomplished IN per
ieeting these communication lines. a
whole British railroad was picked up
bodily. rolling stock. rails. roadOed ana
=" and taken 10 France. American
,gineers had much 10 do with thaI
They have also, under contract with the
British and French governments
driven tunnels. built spurs and bridges
and mapped out schemes Of transporta-
'on that are in operation to-day.
Americas Best Talent
Il is expected that the best talent
tnd experience the nation can provide
IN engineering construction will 80 INTO
we rev regiments, each Of when
would be able 10 undertake all or any
part Of the work Of building or operat-
ing 4 whole railway system.
commanders for the new regiments
PROBABLY will be announced tomorrow.
Work Of recruiting the regiments VIII
s'ort Immediately. and as each recruit
Ilg centre is city where there Is an
s.ny post, 10 is assumed the regiments
WI be assembled IN army barracks and
'Nsif organization perfected
while the regular engineer troops
u ihe army are among the best drilled
y NE yervice, il is improbable that the
ssw regiments will be subjected to any
eng military training They will be
.Nsn military organization only for
1e sake Of greater mobility and eff
s.snoF. They will carry the usual arms
se equipment Of engineer troops,