The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-06-28
j. s. NOW HAS
FORCEOF 100000
Nearly 100000 Have Volunteered
in Less Than Three Months.

Nearly half million men have voIun-
-teered in the American army and navy
during the peri, of less than three
months that has elapsed since war was
declared to exist, it Is claimed here.
The army, navy and National Guard
represented an aggregate strength of
little more than 300, 900 men when the
war resolution was adopted. Today be-
tween 700, 600 and 10000 are enrolled
in the various branches of the fighting
service, and the great majority of them
are armed, equipped and under training.
asserts the War Department. They
will be joined at the end Of summer by
more than half a million men, selected
for the new national army from the ten
millions registered for war during
June 5.
The regular army tota!led a little
more than 100000 men three months
ago; it is nearing the $50, 600 mark to-
day. and the War Department officials,
backed by the press of the country. are
bending every effort to bring it up to
1000 during the present week.
The National Guard, 10000 strong
when war came, numbers nearly $780,
900 today, according to the best esti-
mates available. Of that number near
" rs, 600 actually are under arms,
guarding against German plotters, and
doing the job in thorough and soIdierly
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 sea-
soned regiment of sea soldiers to Ma
jor General Pershing's eXpeditionary
force to France. The corps has been
raised from II, 900 to nearly 80, 900 men.
The regular bluejacket force of the
navy, the men behind the big guns, and
who already are trying their mettle
against the enemy in the waters off the
Irish coast under Vice-Admiral Sims, CT
upon armed American freighters, has
been raised from less than co. 600 tc
10000. The boys of the country have
thronged to the navy in such numbers
that training stations could not be
built fast enough to accommodate them
An entire new force of railway en-
gineers for duty in France to handle
railway problems behind the fighting
lines also has been created. Recruit
ing figures are not availing, but it il
known that some of the regiments ar,
now at full strength and ready to 90
Probably $1,000 men have already join
ed these regiments.
Forty thousand picked men are undel
strenuous training at the officers train
ing camps, insuring good junior officer
for the National Army. Other thous
ands are doing their share at the Medi
cal Corps and Engineer Corps training
camps, and still others are with tn,
Naval Coast Defence Reserve, keeping
the Atlantic coast free from the sub
marine menace and insuring a clea
road for the endless stream of carg,
carriers which are taking thousands o
tons of American war supplies and foo
to the French, Belgian, British ant
Italians, who are holding the line
against the enemy.
The immediate need, Administration
officials believe, is to bring the regu a
army up to Its full strength without de
lay. These are the first line troops, tn,
men who will be the first Americans t
face the German hosts. They will b.
the bone and sinew of General Perish
ing's army, and there must be no DELAY
in getting them ready to go.
President Wilson has designated tn,
present week as recruiting week fo
the regulars. Secretary Baker ha
sought the aid of all newspapers to tn,
end that 10000 men shall be enrolled
before June 80.
No explanation of the need for get
ting the men by that time has beef
given, but it has been assumed that l
has to do with getting forces to Eu
rope.
Brigadier General Mccain, adjutan
general of the army, pointed out again
today that under the selective army bill
every man who volunteers in the regu
lars now from any state means one maj
less that state will be required to fur
nish IN the National Army. A careful
record of the state distribution of re
cruits is being kept for that purpose.
In MemOriam.