Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-07-27
TASK OF RAISING SECOND INcRE-
MENT POSTPONED UNTIL
NEXT MARCH.
NO AVAILABLE PLACE
TO TRAIN MORE MEN
increase in Number Called to Colors
Improbable Because Of Insufficient
Transportation Facilities to Carry
sammies to France-Shortase Of
Equipment For Guards,
CBy ,E. c. Dougherty.1

Washington. July 27--Men OF Iowa
who were called in the draft but Gid
not figure In the first 5000 capsules
pulled from the globe need have little
fear of being called TO the coiors before
March next year at the earliest This is
the view expressed by Provost Mar
shall General Crowder and war depart
ment officials involved in the task OF
raising the second increment Of 500
900 men.
81 have prepared the machinery OF
tie draft for but one turn this year.
General Crowder said. The secretary OF
war and the general staff may order a
change, but at the present time it IS
the plan to prepare only the first in
crement of $4,000 men"
This statement was substautiated oS
army officers, who declare THAI there is
little need Of an immense army being
raised if there is not sufficient ships
on which to transport the "Sammies"
to France. They declare that the reor-
ganization Of the shipping board, to-
gether with some aid that Great Brit
ain can give America in shipping ton
age, may require increased speed and
numbers of soldiers in the making, but
at this time they can not see any rea-
son for the calling of the second incre-
ment until the first 500, 900 and the reg
ulars and national guard are on the
seas en- route to France.
No Place to Train Men.
Another point in support of their con-
tention that the second army will not
come before March, 1918, is the fact
that no places are available to train
the new drafted men. The sixteen can
comments of the national army and the
sixteen national guard camps will be
utilized by the state troops and the cit
izen soldiers for at least six months,
and they will not be available for the
second national army until the present
first call is responded to and COM
pleted.
While it is true that many of the ma
tional guard soldiers, by reason of their
service on the Mexican border, are al
ready equipped for the intensive in
struction behind the lines Of France
well informed officers say that 1t is a
matter Of shipping more than any other
factor that will prevail in determining
the strength Of the American forces
In France. Not only is it necessary to
transport the men to France. but many
ship loads of munitions. ordnance. am
munition and food stuffs must neces-
Harily be sent over to maintain the
forces in the field.
Shortage of Equipment.
The quartermaster corps of the army
1e ;to1I ct
equipment. OF course there will be suf-
9ictent to outfit the national guard
when all the men are sent to the train
ing camps in August, but there is an
apparent shortage in many lines Of
equipment that will delay the QUILTING
Of the first draft army, to say nothing
of Immediately calling the second in
crement and equipping the half million
men.
Adopt French Division System
The army and general staff and the
war college now are mapping out the
French system OF divisions, which will
apply to all future expeditions abroad
Pershing's men in France now are or
ganized In divisions of between 5000
and 1900 men, whereas the American
division is 2S,500 men, and plans are
now beieng laid to similarly organize
the national guard and the first draft
army in smaller divisions when they
get to the training camps. The new
plan called for larger companies-2OO
men-larger regiments-3,0 900 men-and
other changes in the army organization
OF the United States forces. but the
changes only apply to the men who
will be sent abroad. The war depart
ment also has decided that cavalry
units now having horses will be per-
mitted to take their mounts to camps
in the south, but no additional horses
will be provided, and later all the men
will be sent abroad either as artillery
or infantry soldiers. unmounted.