Evening star., 1917-04-26

larEer attendance. but the serious short
age Of regular army officers makes 1t
Tnwiss to attemp. more more. at t, this time; Ess
thorough instruction than to give a
much larger number inadequate instruc-
ton.
A complete division comprises nine
regiments Of infantry, three regiments
airy, one regiment of engineers and
miscellaneous small organizations.
Each training camp will, therefore. be
organized with a view to furnishing
the officers of such a division, but with
the addition of one cavalry regiment at
each camp, to provide for a separate
cavalry division.
To Be Divided Into Companies.
During the first month of the camp
those in attendance will be divided into
fifteen companies, regardless Of the
arm of the service for which the in
dividuals are destined. During this
month the qualifications of each man
ing the necessary numbers for further
instruction in the separate arms of the
service. At the end of the first month,
therefore, men will be reassigned in
due proportions SO as to form nine In,
fantry companies, three batteries OF
artillery, two troops of cavalry and one
company of engineers. Other men who
will have been selected for the coast
artillery will proceed to Fort Monroe.
Va, or Fort Winfield Scott. Cal, for
the remainder of their training.
Those who remain at the division
camps will receive two months train
ing after the reassignment mentioned
above. At the end of the whole period
select from each company, troop and
battery the officers for one regiment OF
the corresponding arm. Thus we shall
have carefully selected officers for six
teen infantry divisions and two cavalry
divisions by the time that the supply
departments can furnish equipment for
these troops and by the time the nee
essary machinery can be put in motion
for procuring the enlisted men.
10000 Officers Needed.
Each company, troop and battery
must furnish approximately forty five
officers Those who are not selected
for immediate use will nevertheless be
commissioned in the Officers Reserve
Corps. if found to be competent, and
will be available for use in connection
with any additional force that may be
authorized.
The total number of officers required
for the sixteen infantry divisions and
the two cavalry divisions is approxi-
mately 10000. These. should be pref
erably mature men and the most expe-
rienced natural leaders that the coun-
try possesses. 1t isrecognized that there
are thousands of men throughout the
country between the ages of twenty
one and forty-four who have had more
or less military experience either in
the regular army or National Guard.
or at military schools With the basic
experience supplemented by natural
aptitude for handling men as demon
strated in business or otherwise. a
splendid corps of 10000 reserve officers
should be available by the middle of
July.
1t is necessary that ''the first ten thou
sand" should be the best that the coun-
try has. In planning the nations mill
tary forces it must be assumed that the
war is by no means drawing to a close
and that the country must expand its
military forces as rapidly and effectively
as the resources of the country permit.
The sixteen infantry divisions and two
cavalry divisions aggregate approximately
half million men. The officers of this