The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1917-06-28
U. S. SOLDIERS NOW EXCEED
HALF MILLION
Army and Navy Jump From 100000
to 100000 With Declaration Of
War.

washington, -. T., june S4.-
More than half a million men have
volunteered in the American Army
and Navy during the period of less
than three months that has elapsed
since war was declared to exist.
The army and navy and National
Guard represented an aggregate
strength of little more than 1900
men, when the war resolution was
adopted. Today between 10000 and
100000 are enrolled in the various
branches of the fighting service and
the great majority of them are armed
equipped and under training. They
will be joined at the end OF the sum-
mer by nearly a million men select
ed for the new National Army from
the millions registered for war duty
June S.
The regular army totaled a little
more than 100000 men three months
ago. It is nearing the 100000 mark
today, and War Department officials.
backed by the press of the country,
are bending every effort to bring it
tip to 900. 900 during this week
The National Guard, 10000 strong
when war came. numbers nearly 26o,-
600 today, according to the best esti-
mates available. OF that number
nearly $4,000 actually are under arms,
guarding against German plotters and
doing the job in a thorough and SOL
dierly way. as shown by the trivial
damage the plotters have been able
to inflict
The Marine Corps, whose slogan of
First to Fight" has been respected
by the Government in attaching a
seasoned regiment of sea soldiers to
Maj. Gen. Pershing's expeditionary
force to France. has been raised
from $4,000 to nearly 10000 men.
The regular bluejacket force of the
navy has been raised from fewer than
$4,000 to 10000, while probably a.
600 men have already joined the force
of engineers newly created for SER
vice in France.
Forty thousand picked men are
Under strenuous training at the Of
ficers' training camps. insuring good
junior officers for the national army.
Other thousands are doing their
share at the medical corps and en-
gineer corps training camps and still
others are with the naval coast de-
fense reserve. keeping the Atlantic
Coast free from the submarine men
ace and insuring clear road for the
endless stream of cargo carriers
which are taking American war sup
plies to Europe.
The immediate need, administration
officials believe, is to bring the regu-
lar army up to its full strength with
out delay. These are the first line
troops. the men who will be the first
Americans to face the German hosts.
They will be the bone and sinew OF
Gen. Pershing's army. and there must
be no delay in getting them ready
to go.
President Wilson has designated
the present week as recruiting week
for the regulars. Secretary Baker
has sought the aid of all newspapers
to the end that 10000 men shall be
enrolled before June 80. No expla-
nation of the need for getting men
by that time has been given, but it
is assumed that it has to do with get
ting forces to Europe.
Brig. Gen. Mccain. Adjutant Gen
eral of the army, has pointed out
again that under the selective army
bill every man who volunteers in the
regular army from any State means
one man less that State will be re-
quired to furnish in the regular army.
A careful record of the State distri-
buttons of recruits is being kept for
that purpose.
Gen. Mccain also directed atten-
ton to the fact that after the second
series of officers flaming camps has
closed the only road to promotion
will be from the existing forces. Men
in the regular regiments will have
equal. if not better chances for secur-
ing commissions than men in the Ma
tional Guard or the National Army.
They will be of longer experience and
....N L. A. e:..k. e>rk 60 EranrA