Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-09
War Chiefs Make Plans
For Army of 100000

=
Washington. u e., Feb. At Con
gre5s has never authorized uniger
sal military training or any other
system approved by army experts OF
supplementing the little force o. reg
ulars and National Guardsmen at he
disposal Of the United States, the
general staff here has brayely gone
ahead to make the best OF bad stu
alton.
Admitting openly their proven in
efficiency. the army officials must yet
make ready for "A vast army of vol
rntcers. as called for by the present
law
According to the statutes in force.
the President must first call forth the
National Guardsmen in time OF crisis.
Having done this. if he considers the
guardsmen insufficient, he may imme-
diately call for any number Of yolun-
teers he chooses.
The War College division of the GEN.
eral staff here has mapped out a
complete campaign for training these
volunteers, aiming not to commit
come OF the many mistakes of the
war with Spain. but still realizing the
inadeQuacy Of the system which
George Washington and every great
American general since his time have
agreed Is wrong in principle.
Besides the activities here In prep
aratlon for a possible mobilization.
the headquarters OF the various de.
partments into which the country is
divided are busy today doing what
they can with their small forces in
the way Of preparation
Already the War College has tonta.
lively divided tho country for mobll.
cation into nineteen infantry and six
cavalry divisional areas. explaining:
The units OF each infantry and
cavalry division should. in order to
facilitate mobilization and super.
vision OF training, be located in con.
tiguous territory This idea is car
ricd ont by dividing the country into
twenty-five divisional areas, of which
nineteen are assigned for infantry
divisions and six for cavalry divi
sions.
The troops should be distributed
approximately in proportion to popu
lation. The only political or geograph
ical subdivisions within the United
States made on the basis OF popula
ton are the Congressional districts
These districts can therefore be uset
as convenient unit in forming divi
sional areas. There are Ala such dis
tricts in the United States, an averag,
OF between sixteen and seventeen dis
tricts per area. In the follown!
grouping all areas are given sixteel
or seventeen districts. except on
each OF fifteen. eighteen and neteen.
1.-The population within each div
slonal area should be OF such a chal
acter as 10 furnish suitable men 70
the different branches Of the service
This is accomplished by having with
In each area urban sections, rura
sections, COLLEGES with technica
courses, and by assigning to the cay
airy divisions sections where horse
can be obtained and the population
accustomed to their use
No mention is made Of the mobil
cation OF artillery units for the re;
son that the training organization an
equipment OF that army Of the servic
will, in event Of need, be one Of tn
matters attended to without regar
to divisional areas.
The infantry divisional areas as a
ready planned are:
First-All OF Maine New Ham
shire and Vermont and the SixtI
Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth Ele
enth, Twelfth and Fourteenth Co
gressional Districts OF Massachusett
Total sixteen districts. Headquarter
Boston.
Second--The First, Second Thir
Fourth, Fifth. Thirteenth Fifteen
and Sixteenth Congressional Distric
OF Massachusetts; all OF Rhode Islal