The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-03-29
PLACED UPON WAR FOOTING.
Military Orders Issued by President.
More Men for Navy.

washington, Marcn o.-FTeSlQenI
Wilson took steps today to place the
nation on a war footing.
By executive order he directed that
the navy be recruited without delay
to the full authorized war strength
$1,000 enlisted men. Taken in con-
nection with emergency naval con-
struction already ordered, this means
that the president has exercised the
full limit of his legal powers as COM
mander-in-chief to prepare the navy
for war
For the army the president direct
ed that two military departments be
created in the Atlantic coast region.
The order means that the task of
organizing whatever army congress
may authorize will be divided among
six departmental commanders instead
of four in the interests of speed and
efficiency in mobilization.
Guardsmen Called Out.
The third step was to assume as
a national duty the task of protect
ing American industries from domes-
tic disorders in the event of hostili-
ties. For this purpose eleven full in
fantry regiments, two separate bat
talions and tne separate company OF
the National Guard were called E.ck
into the federal service to act as
national police in important districts.
Supplementing these troops regl-
ment of Pennsylvania guard and two
companies of Georgia infantry, en-
route home from the border for mus
ter out, were ordered retained in the
federal service.
The presidents orders were made
known in terse official statements is
sued by both departments. No ex-
planation accompanied them except
the statement that reorganization OF
the military department, effective
May /, was designed to facilitate de-
centralization of command.
Congress Must Determine.
Congress must determine the sys-
tenn under which an army is to be
raised. Todays action provides more
elastic machinery, found necessary
as a result of the recent border mob
ilization for the enrolling and train
ing of a great army, whether raised
as volunteers, by conscriptlon or
through a universal service bill.
The objection of the creation or
the new departments of the North
east and Southeast was to distribute
among three central commanders the
work of mobilization in the States
most thickly populated and from
which the greatest number OF SOL
diers must come. The present East
ern department directed the mobiliza-
ton of approximately 80 per cent. OF
the 10000 guardsmen sent to the
border.
With 100000 men, the maximum
authorized strength of the National
Guard, in addition to whatever volun-
teers might be summoned, the task
would be too great for single de-
partmental organization because OF
the vastness of the supply problems
involved.
Has Learned Its Lesson.
Instructions to National Guard Of
fcers, issued more than a month ago
to cover any future mobilization,
showed plainly that the war depart
ment had learned it's lesson and pro-
posed to decentralize it's mobilization
problems as far as possible.' Depart
mental commanders completely will
supervise the assembling of State
troops in their districts hereafter, and
will take over the task of recruiting.
The transfer of Gen. Wood from
the Eastern to the Southeastern de-
partment caused considerable specu-
lation among army officers. No ex-
planation was given and Secretary
Baker declined to comment. The
Eastern department, even as it Will
be after the new organization goes
into effect, is regarded as the most
important of the six because of its
great economic development. AS a
general rule, that department falls to
the command of the senior major
general of the army available for