Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-08
NINE REGIMENTS
OF VOLUNTEERS
TO Be RECRUITED
Only Highly Trained Rail-
road Men Wanted for
Service.
TO HAVE TOTAL STRENGTH
OF NEARLY 10000 MEN
War Department. Announces
They Will Go at Earliest
Possible Moment"
LITTLE MILITARY TRAINING
Problem OF Maintaining Adequate
Supply Lines One Of Great.
est of War.
LITTLE MILITARY TRAINING
rRv Associated Press. !

i'I.\L IoN, May Mime nef-
regiments OF army engineers, TO be
composed exclusively Of highly trained
railway men, will be the first American
troops to he sent to France. They will
so at tho earliest possible momcnt.-
the War Department announced to-day.
for work on communication lines, bn
speculation as to exactly when or to
what points they will he sent is for.
ace
The new forces will be volunteers,
raised at the nine great railway ccntcrs
Of tho country. Each regiment Will he
commanded by AN engineer colonel
the regular army. aided by an adiu-
tant. All other officials will be rail-
way engineers or officials. .-,t
The expedition will have "A total
strength of between 1900 and 1900
men, each regiment being composed OF
two battalions Of three companies each.
Every branch Of railway workers
necessary to the building or operation
Of lines will be represented In the
ranks. and the War Department. ex-
poets response to the call that will
permit careful selection to he en-
ercscd and insure Il force already
trained to the minute. an army OF cx-
perts in railway operation.
DETAILS WILL Re GIVEN OUT
AS FAST AS POSSIBLE
The departments statement follows:
The War Department has sent out
orders for tho raising rapidly as
possible OF nine additional regiments
OF engineers, which are destined to
proceed to Franco at tho earliest possi-
BILE moment for work on the lines OF
communication. II Is requested Of the
press that no speculation or rumors
regarding this force be carried other
than that given out. All details re-
EardnE tho forcc will he given out
AS fast as compatible with the best
public interests"
Recruiting for the regiments and tho
organization OF each force will be d-
rectly under the colonel of cach reg.
imcnt. The recruiting points will be
New York. Chicago, ST. Louis. Boston,
Pittsburgh, Detroit. Atlanta. San Fran>
cisco and Philadelphia.
officials believe the great railroad
brotherhoods will cooperate. throwing
the strength of the unions behind the
recruiting efforts. The railway com
panes already are SO organized under
the Council OF National Defense thut
their cooperation is assured.
The decision to send the engineers
is supposed to have grown out OF con-
fcrcnccs between government officials
here and members OF the French and
British war missions. One of the
greatest prol lens Of the war has hcen
that OF maintaining adequate Suppiy
lines, and the railroads arc the vital
element OF the system that feeds men.
shells and food towards the lighting
front from channel port and from
France.
AMERICA PRE-EMINENT
IN ENGINEERING FIELD
America is pre-cminent in the field
OF railway engineering. and tho best
talent and experience tho nation can,
provide in that line will so into the
new regiments. each OF which would
he able to undertake all or any part
of the work Of building or operating a
Whole railway System.
Commanders for the new regiments
probably will be announced to-morrow
Work OF recruiting the regiments vii!
start Immediately
While the regular engineer troops OF
the army are among the best drilled
in the service, it is improbable that the
new regiments will be subjected to
amy lengthy military training. They
will be given military organization only
for the sake of greater mobility and
efiicicpcy.
The administrations action means
that American troops carrying the
American flag and in tho uniform OF tho
American army are soon to Inc on
French soil. Ii there is psychological
value in such movement. as both
France and British commissioners have
urged. it will show itself with the ar
rival In France OF tho hrst engineer
regiment.
II viii not be necessary to equip the
engineers with the tools of their craft
France and Britain can supply what
ever is needed. probably. supplemented
by additional supply Because OF this, 4
there will be no-neod for delay in send
ing the engineer troops forward. They
will neel little but their uniforms, arms
and personal equipment before they2can
be sent to the front. X.