Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-13
BEGINS
FOR NATIONAL GUARD
UNITS IN ATLANTA
Officers for All Branches Are
Opened With Gratifying
Success - Regular Army
and Navy Stations ThrOnged

Active recruiting was begun Thurs
Georgia Infantry and the second squad
ron of Georgia cavalry. following in
structiOns from the war department TO
bring the national guard units up to
maximum peace strength. which is just
another name for war strength.
The Fifth regiment opened a recruit
ing office at the audltorium-armory I'M
der direction of Lieutenant Thomas F
Jackson. and within an hour twenty
young men we're sworn into the service
OF Uncle Sam.
Troop l.. OF the Second squadron of
cavalry. known as the Governors Horse
Guards. opened its office al SO Gilmer
street, on the south side of the audi
tOrium- The Horse Guard now is but
few men short of war strength. but it
was stated that there are advantageous
openings Tor cooks, farriers, etc, and
several non-cOmmissioned officers places
are vacant.
Georgia field hospital No. 1 is station
ed al Lakewood. Ii was stated that the
neid hospital may take steps TO open a
recruiting Office i'm town.
Recruiting continued brisk Thursday
at the regular army station and THE
navy and marine corps stations.
STATUS OF FIFTH
For three days Colonel OrviIle H.
Hall. commanding the Fifth. has been
waiting for the orders issued by the
war department instructing all national
guard organizations to recruit I'M TO the
maximum peace strength of the regular
army which is 100 men TO the company
They arrived Thursday morning at IL
o'clock from General Walter A. Harris.
commander OF the Georgia brigade As
General Harris instructed Colonel Hall
TO recruit TO maximum peace strength
Colonel Hall. in accordance with the or.
ders. in turn instructed his subordinates
10 recruit 10 maximum peace strength
This means that the commanding Off
GERS OF detachments of the Fifth. wher-
ever they are located. have the authority
10 go ahead and enlist men. Recruiting
will. therefore. be more widespread ana
effective than if it was confined to one
Office and one locality. 1t has been gem
orally known for some time that all Of
the regiment is not stationed in Allan
Ia. though censorship has prevented an
nouncement OF the locations of the va
rious companies.
OPEN ALL DAY.
The atlanta recruiting office of the
Fifth regiment is on the second floor
a the auditorium. 1t is open all day
and during the evening as long as re-
cruits apply.
TIE Office had scarcely been opened
Thursday before swearing i'm Of the
recruits began. In fact. the recruiting
Office of the regiment, anticipating the
reception of the orders hourly had be-
gun TO examine applicants the day be-
fore.
Thus. within an hour after the orders
were received. tine regiments quota had
been considerably augmentedand il was
believed that within a very ahort time
the ranks Will be full The maximum
peace strength to be recruited will be
about LOO men. The Fifth now lacks
about 500 of this number.
Ii was remarked that among the an
plicants hardly so per cent were from
Atlanta proper, this though the Fifth is
generally spoken of as "Atlanta's own"
Many Of the boys were farmer lads from
north and middle Georgia, others were
from suburban Atlanta.
1T looks to me-" remarked one officer.
'as IL a few more Atlanta BOYS should
enlist in Atlsnta's own"
This officer pointed out that now is
the OppOrtune time to enlist i'm the reg
iment, as the new orders VIII increase
the number Of non-commissioned off,
GERS and leave vacancies which must be
filled from the ranks
While the regular army recruiting
officer has received Instructions from
Washington lowering somewhat the
strict physical standards for admission
TO the ranks, the Fifth has so far not
Vet received these instructions and the
requirements are as strict as ever
NAVY SLOGAN
Nine hundred men i'm nine DAYS"
This is the slogan these days at the
naval recruiting station i'm the federal
buildings, and the reason is that Just
nine days are 10 elapse before the time
limit for Georgia 10 raise 1900 men ex-
pires.
Up 10 Thursday morning a total of
253 men had been enlisted i'm the navy.
leaving a balance of 947 that must be
secured before April 90. if Georgia is
to supply the number Of men asked of
her by the navy department.
Lieutenant II. r. Keller. in charge Of
recruiting. stated that Georgia was go
ing to get the required number. I'VE
will leave no stone unturned in our eff
forts to get those nine hundred men in
nine days. and unless I'm badly mis-
taken. Georgia will toe the mark when
the Goth comes" he said Thursday.
What we need more than anything
else right away is more men to help re-
cruit," he continued. We are handling
as many men now as we can. and in or
der to double the number our Office
force and the men al work throughout
the state must ne materially Increased.
u have eighteen men at work in At
IauJs and about nifty in-th state. but
! need more. 1 have wired for author
ity TO hold men who re-enlist for re-
'cruiting duty, and expect IL will be
granted.
PLEASED WITH SUBSTATIONS
Il am particularly well pleased with
the way substations are working, and