The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-06-12
HURRY STATE TROOPS
TO THE BATTLE FRONT
OVER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND
MEN TO BE SENT TO EUROPE
AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
FIVE DIVISIONS BE THERE
BEFORE The SNOW FLIES

Him Is Expected to Be Fighting
Before Summer Is Over.
More than 10000 American ''first
class fighting men" probably will be
engaged in battling Germany on the
western front months ahead of the
original schedule. Five divisions of
national guardsmen will be in France.
before snow flies, according to plans
being developed by the war depart
ment, the idea of such move hav-
ing been received with favor by the
war chieftains, though they are con-
fronted with the very practical and
stupendous difficulty of securing suf-
ficient transport service. Along with
the development of the national
guard expeditionary force idea
came orders to put the new regi-
ments of army engineers for France
under actual training.
As result Of these two important
steps in Americas war progress the
nation is face to face with realiza-
ton that the government is down to
real big active business, that the war
IS to be prosecuted even more rapid
ly and with more real vigor than at
first regarded as possible and that the
United States proposes to throw
forceful weight into the scales.
Whether the transport question will
thwart the national guard expedi-
ton plans for any great length of
time remains to be seen. This phase
of the situation is being given Sc
rious thought.
Active Training Under Way.
With Maj. Gen. Pershing's expedi-
ton of 10000 regulars, the 10000
engineers who are to go to the lines
of communication in France soon,
the marines who have been ordered
abroad and the men from other
branches of the service there viii be
almost 100000 men under the Amer
lean flag on French soil before the
end of the year, army officers esti-
mate.
The guardsmen already have been
summoned to the colors in three i'm
crements, beginning July Is. They
will receive intensive training in the
United States and will then go to
France to receive finishing instruc-
tons just behind the battle line. The
plan to send the guardsmen at this
early date is in line with the presi-
dents announcement of May IS,
when news of the Pershing eXpedi-
ton was given out and that other
troops would be put into the field in
France and Belgium "as fast as they
could be made ready"
For Draft of Million.
Plans of the war department to
draft from 100000 to 100000
men of the 100000, who it is
estimated registered last Tuesday for
the new army, have been disclosed
by Provost Marshal General Grow
der to the senate military affairs
committee. Exemptions, he said,
probably would result in reducing the
number to 625, 900 men for Nimme-
date service.
While the war department had
originally planned to first select $780,
600 men General Crowder told the
committee the plans have been revis-
ed and it is now proposed to re-
auire 625,00O. To secure this num-
Der, he said, it probably will be nee
essary to draft at least 100000, and
possibly 100000, because of eX-
pected exemptions.
General Crowder told the commit
tee that an additional 125,000 will
be needed to fill up vacancies in the
army of 500,000 and to keep train
ing camps in continuous operation.
When the original plans for service
from half a million we're made, he
said, the department had not planned
to send American forces abroad so
soon Casualties from foreign ser
vice, he believed, sickness, etc, make
necessary a reserve Of 1875, 900 men
in addition to the duty at training
camps.
Favors Immediate Draft.
General Crowder told the commit
tee he favored immediate drafting of
men registering, rather than post
ponement of the draft for several
weeks after registration. He regards
it desirable that every drafted man
know and can have a few weeks to
make his personal arrangements
before being called to the colors
The men drafted pobably will be
in training camps by September l,
General Crowder said, and addedI
that he favored beginning selections
within two weeks after registration,
so that exemption work may be ex-
pedited and notifications of final Sc
lections may be made as soon there
after as possible.
GENERAL PERSHING AND