The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-06-05
GUARDSMEN co TO FRONT
TO REINFORCE PERSHING
Tented Cities in South to House
Guardsmen for Intensive Training
Refere Embarkati0H.

Washington, June THE Nationa!
Guard will be on the French front IN
time for the autumn drive, according
to indications at the wal department
today. They are expected to be the
first reinforcements for the initial dl-
vision which Maj. Gen. John J. Per
sng will command in France. The
regular army will be held in America
until later to train its own new in
erements and the 100000 selective con-
scripts who will be brought in through
the draft.
Word to this effect was spread
through the war department follow
ing an announcement by Secretary
Baker that only 16 of the 80 new train
ing camps would be wooden construc-
ton. These will be in the northern
States. The men at the other Is
camps will be under canvas. These
camps will be located in the Southern
States. Secretary Baker made the fol-
lowing statement:
Bald Sixteen.
"The original plan was to build 81
eantonmeuts, or divisional encamp-
ments. The department commanders
were called upon to appoint boards
to study the available places and make
recommendations which would lead to
the selection of 80 such places
.The quartermaster generals de-
partment, cooperating with the coun-
Gil of national deefnse committee,
studied the project and discovered
that the cost of building the number
OF cantonments contemplated would
be beyond the possibilities of the ap-
provriation that congress is now con-
sMering. 1t was further discovered
that it would be impracticable to build
that number on account of lack OF Ia
bor, material and transportation facli-
tiles. The supply Of tentage has in
creased to such an extent that 1t Will
be possible to have some of the en-
campments in tents.
"The war college recommended that
the number be reduced to 16; the
places, however, have nots yet been
definitely selectd, the chief Of stan
being in communication with the de-
partment commanders with view to
making the selections"
Under Canvas.
As at present contemplated the gen.
erel staff plan is said to be TO seno
the National Guard to canvas canton
nents in the South for a short period
@. intensive training and then to start
a movement overseas. The Guard VIII
be brought into service on July 10
and 25. while the unframed conscrlpts
will not begin to enter the army un-
til September.
In addition to his statement today
Secretary Baker said that the first
estimated cost of the % cantonments
had been s77,000,000. This was the
amount asked OF. congress. Recapit-
ulation showed. however. that the
proposed wooden cities" would cost
at least s15o,000,000.
Quartermastea. General Sharpe, who
was in charge of the estimates, this
afternoon declared that he had been
asked to base his figures on only 16
cantonments. Later an official an
nouncement was made that there
would be %.
A Gsld-Up.
Canvas manufacturers, who at first
apparently felt that the government
was at their mercy, also were brought
to time b. the announcement of the
wooden cantonments. They said they
could not supply canvas enough for
the encampments. but when the wood
en- scheme was broached they imme-
aiately discovered large unsuspected
supplies.
One of the wooden cantonments
will be located at N7rightstown, N. j.,
the war department announced this
afternoon.