The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-06

length.
In addition to the 1888 midshipmeI
commissioned ahead of time. another
class of more than 200 will be grad.
uated at Annapolis in September. Fol
the first time, clerical and other pc.
sitiOns in the navy have been open t
women and recruiting stations hav.
plicattons Of men and women which
has followed Secretary's Daniels cal
for recruits. There is a boom in re.
cr,itng for the marine corps, too
which has been raised to an author.
/ lied war strength of 17.40O and soon Il
to be further increased. Passage Of
the war resolution is the signal 70,
mobilization of $4,000 naval militia
men and reserves to support the regu.
| 'ars.
1000 Sub chasers.
| For the coast patrol of submarin,
chascrs hundreds Of contracts have
been let and many other small craft
have been offered by private owners
Secretary Daniels hopes within q
short period to have at least 1000 such
boats in operation and should the fa-
ciltcs for their construction or fol
the building OF other naval craft prove
inadequate. all plans are ready tG
commander private shipyards under
the authorization of congress.
! The army. whose great need is
trained men and officers. Is employing
unusual means to prepare for the or
sanitation and training Of any force
congress may authorize. Hundreds OF
applications for commissions in the
cepted. and for the grade of second
lieutenant the bars have been let dowr
to men who never have had military
training. More comprehensive plans
than ever before have been drawn 70,
training camps for fitting these Of.
ficcrs and others for duty. e
! For increasing the enlisted strength
Il vigorous recruiting campaign is un.
der way with the cooperation Of
other branches Of the government, in.
Guiding postal officials over the coun
try and many patriotic societies.:
Plenty Of Supplies.
IN the matter of supplies the army |.
well provided. With rifles and Other
equipment for Il vast army already OF
hand. enormous contracts have beer
placed by the quartermaster's depart.
rlent and the contracts are so that 9th.
CT millions can be spent as soon as ap
propriated. Clothing manufacturer:
have united in expediting the making
of uniforms as have other industrial
concerns in providing quickly othe'
| necessary material.
To mend difficulty due to failur
of the annual army appropriation bill
the federal reserve board came to tn
aid of the war department ordcrin;
reserve banks to discount the quarter
master generals pay warrants at cur
rent. commercial rates.
Much of the new equipment will G.
to the national guard, which is beinI
recruited rapidly.
The plans for army expansion pre-
cred complete in every detail. AS
result of months of study on a univer
sal service scheme everything is read
} to make it effective. Machinery TO
: IA volunteer army of 100000 or 1000.
900 has been provided. however. 70
immediate use should that method b
chosen, or the staff is ready to s
ahead as best it can with the preser
regular and national guard system.
Defense Councils Work.
The work Of the national dcfcns
council in co-ordinating all defens
measures. not strictly military or ma
val. has been regarded by officials a
quite as important as any other tas
of preparedness. The council is com
! posed of II majority of the cabint
mittee of seven leaders in the seve
fields on which the nation would dra
most heavily in war-transpOrtatiO
, labor, munitions, raw materials. met
. icine. supplies and science and +,
search. Since the council was organ
n |
, of the best experts in each Of the.
g fields. Each Of the seven COMM:
:, sioners has organized IA committee
take care of preparations in a partic,
, lar field.
!, AS a central body around which W
revOlve the many government and pr
;, vate agencies working for industri
;. service, the council has created q con
mcrcial economy board with broad a.
. thOrity to deal with the crucial pro
lem Of war distribution Of commod
. ties.
Transportation.
The need for faclie resources
move troops and supplies has be
considered particularly imperative. b
cause the United States has no ra
- roads built on a military plan. TT
has been remcdied. however. by
agreement among the roads to opera
=, as a unit in war time and virtually
put themselves under government {
" dcrs. The road officials, under
plan. are to continue to perform tn
present duties, but to become pra