South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-11-07
730 OFFICERS
IN FIRST CALL
About Two-thirdS Of Training
Camp Men Who Win CON-
missions Must Wait.
Nevs Times Special Service

News Times Special Service.
TNDIANAPDLIS Ind, Nov. T.
Speculation as 20 just how many Of
the 1850 candidates in the officers
training camp at Fort Benjamin
Harrison are 20 receive commissions
and are 20 be placed in active serv-
ice when the camp closes was ended
when 10 was announced that 1870
men will win commissions for imme-
date service. A majority Of the
others viii be given commissions
and viii be placed on the inactive
list Of the officers reserve corps and
ordered 20 their homes, without pay
10 await eventualities. The rest, those
not qualified for the inactive list,
will be listed by the government and
told that AT some future time they
may be called into service and as
signed 10 stan or similar duty.
The announcement was made
when Lieut.. Col. Read. camp COM
mander, received orders from the
adjutant commander al Washingtc-
20 appoint an efficiency board OF Off
GERS TO select men TO receive com
missions. Col. Read at once APP
work this morning.
OF the 73O men who will be com
missiOned and assigned 20 active
duty at once. a majority will win
only second lieutenant commissions
While II was not made known Off
cially. Il was learned that only IS
majors and about 81 captains viii
De selected from the camp. 1t is ex-
pected that the captains who have
been acting as assistant instructors
II the camp will win all Of the posts
as majors Thirteen OF the majors
probably will come from the Is in
tantry training camp companies.
while FIVE will be taken from the five
artillery companies.
Leaves TO BE Granted.
Twenty-Five captains will be taken
from the I 5 infantry companies, and
about % from the five artillery COM
oanies. All Of the assistant instruc-
.ors. who. II is believed. will be
made majors. are graduates OF the
.ast training camp.
The men who Will win the active
service commission will be granted
leave OF absence until Dec. IS,
when they will Join their regiments.
The orders received by Lieut.. Col.
Read said that on Nov. 5 an officer
rom the adjutant generals office
will arrive at the fort to give out
commissions and attend to details
regarding the winding up Of the
amp. This gave rise to the report
nat the camp may close earlier than
Nov. %. Col Read said, however,
hat he believed the officer will find
sufficient work upon his arrival at
he camp 10 keep him busy until the
date set for the final windup.
The efficiency board appointed BY
-ol. Read, OF which the camp COM
nander is the head. consists OF Col.
=. r RuffneT, commander OF the
post hospital; Mai w. +. Gilmore,
thief instructor OF the training
camp: Mai. A. J. Mars. cavalry: Maj.
4. IT. PheU. field artillery: Capt. A.
70 Cronkhite. engineer corps, and
lieut.. ]. NJ. Smith. medical reserve
sorps.
$50 Already Dropped.
More than ESQ candidates in the
amp already have been dropped
rom the rolls since the camp opened
md beginning today gradual
process of elimination will be com
uenced. The efficiency board hopes
q SO eliminate candidates who have
10 chance Of obtaining commissions
hat there will be a minimum OF dis
appointment when the day arrives
or the handing out Of awards
The work OF the board will be