Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1917-06-28
MEN ARE NOW
RAPIDLY ENLISTINC
Already A Large Army Has Volun-
teered, However None to be
Received After June 80

More than half a million men have
volunteered in the army and navy
during the period of less than three
months that has elapsed since the
war was declared to exist.
The army, navy and national guard
represented an aggregate strength
of little more than 100000 men when
the war resolution was adopted.
Already between 100000 and 500, 900
are enrolled in the various branches
of the fighting service and the great
majority of them are armed, equip
ped, and under training. They will be
| Joined at the end of the summer by
nearly a million men selected for the
new national army from the millions
registered for war duty June 3.
The regular army totaled little
more than 100000 men three months
ago, it is nearing the 100000 mark
now, and war department officials,
! backed by the press of the country,
are bending every effort to bring ii
up to 100000 during the present
| week.
To Rush Recruiting
The immediate need, administra-
ton officials believe. is to bring the
regular army up to its full strength
without 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
this 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 be-
fore June 80. No explanation of the
needs for getting the men by that
time has been given. but it has been
assumed that it has to do with getting
forces to Europe.
The government has found the
press eager to aid in making the ma
ton ready for war. With the news
papers of each locality taking up the
campaign for men as a local matter
the filling up of the ranks on sched-
ule time is regarded as assured.
Volunteers Lessen Drafts
Brig. Gen. Mccain, adjutant gen.
eral of the army, has pointed out that
under the selective army bill every
man who volunteers in the regular
army now from any state means one
man less that state will have to fur
nish in the national army. A care
| full record of the state distribution OF
recruits is being kept for that pur-
pose.
! Gen. Mccain also directed atten-
ton to the fact that when the second
series of officers training 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 Sc
curing commissions than men in the
national guard or national army.
The government wants aviators,
and needs them badly, the commit
tee on public information announced
| recently in a summary of what has
already been accomplished in prepar-
alton for the great air service pro-
gram now being mapped out.
Eight hundred men are now en-
rolled in preliminary instruction
schools and the influx continues at
the rate of 200 week. After Aug
gst e the goYefs-nt .eyyeets -. to
graduate 200 students weekly into
the advanced flying fields. 1t is ex-
pected that ,14S men will be actual
ly flying by September s.
To maintain the present school and
many others to be established thous-
ands of men will be needed