The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-18
Will Go to France as Quickly
as Their Training and Cir
Z cumstances Permit
ISSUE WARNING AS
TO IRREGULARITIES
Exemption Boards Must Not
Certify Men Whose Order of
Call Would Place Them Be.
yond First Quota
BY ID. NJ. EDWARDS.
international News Service Core
ppDIeptl

international News Service CORES
pondent.)
Washington. Aug. 1.-THE first or
ganization of the national army Will
consist of only 100000 men.
These will be picked men and they
will be moved to France quickly.
ahead of the others drawn.
OF the remainder of the $4,000
men who will be called in the first
draft, thousands will be assigned to
all up the ranks of national guard
and regular army regiments to the
new war strength. The others, num-
boring between 100. 900 and zoo, 900
men. will be held as depot troops and
used to fiji vacancies in the first $40
900 as men are rejected or as casual
ties occur.
This became known today when the
assignment of troops to the canton
fnents and the designation Of the regi-
mental commanders was announced.
Depot commanders were appointed
national army cantonment. Today four
national cantonment, Today four
colonies We're assigned to command
depot troops at Aver. Mass: Yap-
hank. l. l.. Wrightstown. n. J.; An
napolis Junction. Md; Petersburg,
Va: Columbia. S. c.; Atlanta. Ga.
and Chillicothe. O.
Real Soldiers Go First.
MS arrangement represents INC
solution of a problem that has been
trou bling the war department for a
long time--what to do with drafted
men who do not prove their soldierly
capa bilities.
Under this plan the men who show
themselves soldiers will get into ac-
ton hrst. Others. slower. less intel
lisent, or less willing. will be held
In the United States for further
training.
II was also suggested today that men
OF questionable loyalty-and ie is ad-
nlitted that many such may be drawn
into the new army-will be held in
the large depot units until their 10y
atty can be thoroughly tested. 1t Is
further believed that these depot
troops may be used to furnish capable
non commissioned officers for the
training of the second draft ~
r T@u difficult problems were taken
up by President Wilson and General
Crowder today. The president wrote
TO Senator Weeks, of Massachusetts,.
that he would call TO the attention of
the war department the contention of
the senator that greater leniency
should be shown married men who
claim exemption.
Violates spirit of law.
General Crowder warned all boards
that they must not certify for service
men who do not claim exemption in
advance of those whose exemptions
are being determined. This ne says
would in effect permit volunteering
among the men drawn and would be
in violation of the spirit of the law
Senator Weeks wrote the president
he believed all aliens should be draft
ed irrespective of our treaty oblt-
cations" and that married men should
be exempted wherever possible on &C
count of the burden their taking will
place upon the community and the
added strain upon at least two MEM
hers of the community for every man
drawn.
Il cannot believe that you mean we
should disregard our treaty relations"
the president replied to Senator
Weeks first suggestion.
In reply to his second he said:
Your point with regard to the
drafting of men with families Is well
taken. and | have reason to believe
that 1t Is very much in the mind at
any rate of most OF the drafting
boards"
Only Exemption Consideration.
The point has already been
thoroughly covered in rulings by the
president and the provost martial
general to the effect that the
economic dependency OF the family is
Nthe only thing that will exempt mar