The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-08-03
Men of the Training Camps win
Make Excellent Lot
of Officers.
NOT VERY Many welded OUT
Considerable Number 10 Being De-
tailed for Engineering and Aviation
lnstruction--War Department
Officials Are Pleased.
BY EDWARD 8. CLARK.

Neutrality-suspicious. than half the
first training period for candidates for
commissions in the new army Is up,
and the officials of the war depart
ment are ready to declare that results
are beyond expectations and that the
"plucking" process will develop fewer
victims than anyone thought possibly
could be the case.
Stock is being taken by the officials
of the results obtained by weeks Of
training for the 10000 young men now
undergoing instruction in the camps.
An officer Of the army said today:
1.-THE lower commissioned rank in
our national army will be filled by men
of whom any country could be proud.
The young Americans who are attend
ing the sixteen officers training camps
in as many sections Of the country are
showing the spirit that made this
country free. It Is to be expected that
no difficulty at all will be experienced
in selecting the men to command in
the Junior commissioned grades, the
first 100000 young Americans soon to
be called to the colors.
"The time given for the training Is
short, and only one-half Of 1t has
passed, but the results obtained make
us believe that, numerous as were the
early mistakes and trying as were the
conditions to which the men at first
were subjected, the outcome will be all
that we can wish, and 1t seems to be
assured that the young officers quickly
will get the confidence Of the men
whom they are to command and with
it the confidence of this country and
of its allies
Political Pull Weakening.
The reports which come to WASH
ington from all the training camps are
that the boys have put all that they
have into their work. Washington still
is little fearful that some Of the
young men who may be denied commits
sions because they have not come up
to the mark may have recourse to
friendly political influence to secure
for them what they could not secure
for themselves. This fear Of the Off.
cials, however, is not sharp, for with
in week or so the pressure from the
politicians for preference for this man
or that man has weakened. It can be
said for the war department that 1t
has stood faithful to it's duty of deny
ing requests for commissioned places
for those lacking experience and other
wise untitled for the work of leading
men.
It should be understood that nothing
like all the young men who entered the
camps will answer their names at roll
call on the day Of breaking camp. For
six weeks the weeding-out policy has
been pursued.
Men who never would make officers
are told Of their shortcomings and sent
to their homes. In addition to this q
considerable percentage Of the men
have been sent to other camps where
they will specialize in engineering, or
in aviation. The department has adopt
ed a policy of sending men to flying
headquarters where they will be
trained, and later be given commissions
in the air service.
To Help Prepare Army Camps.
Now that something like seven
weeks have passed and virtually full
opportunity has been given for passing
Judgment on the qualifications of each
man, it is not to be expected that the
elimination will be anything like so
many as they have been in the past ex-
cept perhaps in the cases of men who
show marked aptitude for places in the
staff department. These men, of
course, are not eliminated, but simply
are transferred.
1t has been asked frequently what
is to be done with the candidate Off
GERS between August IL, when the first
camps are brought to an end, and the
time set for the mobilization of the
first national army. The students after
about weeks leave probably will be
sent to the sites Of the environments
where they will undertake work under
the colonies In command and will be
given an opportunity to help In the
preparation Of the big camps for the
selected service men.
In the preparation for the second Sc
ries of encampments which will be
opened on August 27 the officers Of the
army are doing what they can to avoid
repetition Of the mistakes made DUR
ing the continuance of the first camp.
Plans now drawn up by the depart
ment eliminate almost entirely men
who lack any military experience. or
course some likely soldier-making ma
terial to be found among civilians who
never have shouldered musket will
be utilized, but it is probable that the
students at the second camps Will be
in large part men who have seen some