The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-08
War Department Calls For Vol
unteers to Do Practical Work
Behind Firing Line
u. S. ENGINEER CORPS
OFFICERS TO COMMAND
Similar Body Will Probably Be
Organized to lnstil New Life
Into Russian Communica-
tons

Washington. May An expeditions
AIRY force ,of $500 men, composed
entirely OF railroad workers under
the leadership of officers of the United
States engineer corps, will be the first
men to carry the stars and Stripes
over seas.
Thty will be sent to France to take
over large part OF the work on the
lines Of communications behind the
battle front. Orders to recruit the
force Immediately went forward from
the war department late today.
Nine regiments will be formed, each
Differed by colonel and adjntant
from the engineer corps The other
officers will be selected from the ranks
of the recruits, Not even the officers
reserve corps will be called upon.
The First 10000
The first 10000" as they are al
ready being called in the war depart
ment, viii he separate from any other
unit or organization In the service.
They VIII be secured entirely through
volunteer methods and will not be a
part of the engineer corps even though
flying the pennant of that organiza-
ton.
As a separate corps of experts in
one special line of work--railroad
building and operating-z-fhey will hs
several of the great German ships
seized BY this government and now
being repaired and made ready for
use, Although almost entirely a spe-
elaf body the railroad corps will wear
the United States uniform and fly tho
American flag, They go to France
on special mission to rebuild up the
railroads of that country which ara
reported in poor condition as re-
~ IA
or securing sufficient men from the
firing line and for the plants to re-
place broken down equipment
The great railroad centers of tho
TINTED states Will be the recruiting
points for the new force. Special Of
hces- haNa-heea- established in New
York, Chicago. st. Louis. Boston.
Plttsburg, Detroit, Atlanta. San Franz
cisco ana Philadelphia for the exami-
nation and enlistment OF candidates.
The war department this afternoon
Issued the following statement relative
to the new corps:
Orders Issued
The war department has sent out
orders for the raising as rapidly as
possible of nine additional regiments
of engineers. who are destined to pro-
coed to France at the earliest posi-
BILE moment for work on the lines of
communications
1T is requested of the press that
no speculation or rumors regarding
this force be carried by it other than
those given out by the war depart
ment. All details with regard to tho
force will be released by the depart
ment as fast as compatible with the
public interests.
Two officers from the regular corps
of engineers will be assigned to each
regiment. but the names of these ON
GERS viii not be announced at the pres
ent time"
The railroad corps is the same AZ
that proposed by Daniel Willard, pres
ident of the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road and a leader in the council OF
national defense Instead OF sending
the workers as a mere semi-govern-
mental enterprise. however. IL was de-
cided to enlist them in the regular
service.
May Send Similar Force to Russia.
On the same lines an early an
is expected of orders to
recruit similar force for use In Rus
STA The Russian railroads are de-
cIared TO be in even a worse state than
those in France and the usefulness OF
the Russian army is tremendously
hampered bv lack of adequate COM
and transportation faciii.
ties