Middletown transcript., 1917-05-26
ARMY DIVISION
ORDERED TORRANCE
Machinery Started for Move
ment Of Troops to War Zone.
GEN. PERsHING TO COMMAND
Registration Under SeIective Draft
Bill to be Completed Within Five
Days From June 5-President
Explains That in Refusing to
Send Roosevelt Division
He is Acting. Under
Military Advice.

Send Roosevelt Division
He is Acting. Under
| Military Advice.
| ashington-President Wilson or
dered that division of regular troops
commanded by Major General John j.
Pershing be sent to France at the
earliest practicable date.
| This is the answer of America to
Frances plea that the Stars and
Stripes be carried to the fighting front
without delay to hearten the soldiers
battling there with concrete evidence
that powerful ally has come to their
support against German aggression.
Announcement of the order followed
signing of the Selective Draft War
Army Bill by the President and the
issuing of a statement that under ad-
vice of military experts on both sides
of the water the President could not
employ volunteers nor avail himself
of the fine vigor and enthusiasm of
former President Roosevelt for the
expedition.
The Army Law provided for an ulti-
mate force of approximately 100000
men to back up the first troops to go
to the front. When the bill had been
signed the President affixed his name
to proclamation calling upon all men
in the country between the ages of Fl
and 80, inclusive, to register them
selves for military service on June 5
next.
The proclama ton sets in motion i'm
mediately machinery that will enroll
and sift 100000 men and pave the
way for the selection of the first 500-
900 young, efficient soldiers without
crippling the industries or commerce
of the nation or bringing hardship on
those at home.
Even before the bill was signed the
War Department announced that the
full strength of the National Guard
would be drafted into the United
States Army beginning July Is and
concluding August 5. Orders to bring
the regiments to full war strength
Immediately accompanied the Motif
cation sent to all governors. A mini
mum of $4,000 fighting men will be
brought to the colors under those or
ders, supplementing the $4,000 regu-
lars who will be under arms by June
is.
1t is from these forces that the first
armies to join General Pershing at
the front will be drawn, to be fol-
lowed within a few months by recur-
ring waves from the selective draft
armies, the first 100000 of whom will
be mobilized Septmber 1.
Following is the text of the terse
announcement of the War Department
as to General Pershing's expedition:
"The President has directed an ex-
peditionary force of approximately one
division Of regular troops, under COM
mand of General John J. Pershing, to
proceed to France at as early a date
as practicable General Pershing and
staff will precede the troops abroad
ut is requested that no details or
speculations with regard to the mobi-
lization of this command, dates of
departure or other items be carried
by the press, other than the official
bulletins given out by the War De-
partment relating thereto"
General Pershing has been in Wash
ington some days. He was personally
summoned by Secretary Baker from
the Southern Department, which was
under his command, until this latest
order was issued.
The man who led the expedition
into. Mexico and handled his difficult
task with such judgment and skill as
to win for him the complete conf
dence of the President and his ad-
visers has worked hard on plans for
the expedition to France. He has been
in daily conference with Secretary
Baker, Major General Bliss, acting
chief of staff, with department Off
cials cooperating in the preparation
of the forces he will lead against
the Germans and also with Lieut. ten
ant General Bridges, head of the .nili-
tary section of the British mission
and a veteran of the battlefelds OF
France.
Nothing that either French or i5rit-
ish officers have been able to fu .snish
in the way of information has been
lacking, and there is every Indication
that the regular forces which will
compose the expeditionary division
are being selected with creates. care.
No inkling of the plans for that di-
vision have been allowed to leak out.
1t is known, however, that orders
have already gone forward to officers
of tried judgment and long expert
ence notifying them to prepare for
foreign service.
! The war in Europe has developed
many new phases of battle not here
tofore known in military science. Ar
tillery has decided the fate of many
battles, and every army has doubled
and trebled it's guns, both in size and
number. For this reason it was
thought likely that the eXpeditioEary
forces would include a disproportion-
ate number OF artillery troops and be
backed by solid wall of guns when
It comes to grips with the enemy.