The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-12-16
GEN. DAPRAY CALLS
FOR ENLISTMENTS
IN NEW D. c. GUARD

with the publication today OF q
general order from Adult. Gen. J. A
Dapray Of the District OF Columbia
guard. a new policy is established OF
ferinE the most attractive kind OF To-
cal service to men between the ages
of eighteen and forty five years.
l. Is proposed TO organize req,
ment OF thu ee battaliOns- Two wiz
be made up OF men between eighteen
and forty-five who may enlist Win
the understanding that they are 10 90
local duty within the District OF 20
lumbia. third battalion VIII DC
composed OF men between the ages OF
eighteen and thirty-one, who VIII en-
list for service at home, or abroad
Following is the general orders
Text Of order.
THE attention Of all persons con
eSrned In or connected with the Dis
trict of Columbia national guard IL
directed to the fact that on account
Of the demand which was made upon
the District military by draft into the
Federal service of almost It's entire
commissioned and enlisted personnel,
the time has come when, with the Ap-
proval Of the War Department autnor.
tiles, new national guard units should
be organized to take the place OF
those which, on the date OF draft INTO
the Federal service, were automaucAl'
IL under the law discharged from the
District military force.
2-To accomplish the desired re-
suits efforts have been, and are still
being, made at these headquarters to
attract into the District OF Columbia
national guard as many eligible men
~ possible. Thus far, however, on
account OF misinformation or lack OF
information OF duties and advantages
involved, comparatively few enlist
ments have been maids, and II is be
lieved that much will depend upon the
co-ordinated efforts and cooperative
help OF every person interested In or
connected wiID the District OF Column
bia national guard. Therefore the an
nouncement IL hereby made that there
will always be at these headquarters
an officer whose duty II viii be 70
give full Information and instruction
in regard to any point INVOLVE In en-
listment In the District Of Columbia
national guard. In the day time the
office will be open from to $3.50 p,
m, and in tn" night time from to 10
p. m, Sunday excepted.
EnEibIes Described.
3-Generally speaking, all morally
fit, mentally sane and physically
sound men between the ages Of eight
cen and forty-five are eligible fol-
enlistment The governing law IL
the National Defense act approved
June 5, 1916. OF course. there can be
no deviation from any requirement
duly prescribed by law, and one OF
the requirements is that the man who
enlists shall take the oath OF enlist
ment for three years with the color
and three years with the reserves
unless sooner discharged by compe
tent authority. Furthermore, the OATH
of enlistment involves the obligation
of obedience to orders, which EN-
braces the duty OF doing military
service wherever one, duly enlisted
may be ordered to go. Under these OBJ.
legations q soldier enlisted without
Qualification in the national guard
would be required to go to any par
Of the United States or to any region
beyond the seas to which he might b.
duly ordered for military duty.
l. But the announced policy of the
draft into the Federal service at this
time. or in the near future. any ad.
ditional national guard units which
are already formed. or which may
hereafter be formed. As a matter Of
fact new national guard units will
probably not be drafted in the Fed
eral service. but Will be left for duty
in the various sections OF the country
in which they are organized. For
that reason II Is expected that new
national guard units in the District
OF Columbia will not be called for
duty outside OF the District OF Col
umbIa except in some national exig-
ency not now expected to occur.
Interests vitality ut Stake.
8. Therefore, the acting command
ing general Of the District OF Column
bia militia has felt authorized, justI-
ned. and obligated to make every eff
fort and to resort TO every possible
means to form new national guard or
ganizAtions primarily for local de-
Tense purposes. Stationed at the Ma
tional Capital, where Federal in
terests are so vitality at stake. and
where the duty of assisting in the
guaranteed security is a part OF its
natural duty, the District OF Column
bia national guard will be organized
from this time on. until further
notice, with the understanding that
IL is to be formed and maintained az
a local defense force. For that rea-
son. while governing laws which pre-