The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-05-19

the South Dakota guard also will
be modified, the state troops
would be ready for the intensive
work on French training fields by
the first or middle of September.
Under the plan outlined by the
United States department Of
war, the national guard troops
would follow the regulars to
Europe within very short time,
there to undergo the intensive
training under the direction Of
French and British officers, re-
quired as the final work prior to
placing troops in the celebrated
trenches on the western front of
Europe's far-fung battle lines.
Last summers work on the
southern borders of the United
States has fitted the state troops,
in the opinion Of the army war
college, for very early service
along the lines now held by the
British, the Canadians, the French,
the Italians, the colored troops of
India, and, more recently, the
Japanese, where they face the
kaiser's forces in the most ter
rible Of all the worlds wars.
The war department, while not re-
fusing absolutely to countenance or
ganization Of new guard units, is in
forming the governors IL Is preferable
TO raise all existing organizations to
war strength before new ones are
formed.
When the guard units are called out,
they will be modified in the regular
state encampments, where they will be
taken into the federal service, equip
ped, given brigade organization and
preliminary drill.
They will be held in the state mobile
zation camps until the training camps
are ready for their reception. The
quartermaster general says it will be
possible to send the guard to the train
ing camps within two weeks after it is
mobilized in the state camps.
The object of the government in an
nouncing the dates Of guard mobiIiza-
ton early is to afford every man thus
called to the colors a sufficient oppor-
tunity to settle his business affairs.
Guardsmen desiring discharge be-
cause they have dependents will be ex-
empted from muster into the federal
service when mobilization takes place
In the state camps.
For the training of the national
guard and the selective force of 5O0-
600 men 32 divisional training camps
are being provided. These camps viii
be distributed throughout the country
as follows: In the northeastern de-
partment, one; eastern department.
four; southeastern department, IL;
central department, six: southern de-
partment, six; western department.
three.
The location OF these camps will be
announced within a few days. Each
department commander has named
f1ve possible sites for each. from which
the war college will select one.
To Train in South.
The national guard units will be
trained almost entirely in the south.
They Will go into nine camps In the
southeastern department, five in the
southern, and two in the western. All
the guardsmen from middIe.west states
will go to the southern camps. Upon
arriving the guard will be organized
into divisions. further equipped and
then the drilling will begin. The train
ing viii be almost exclusively in the
European methods of trench warfare.
Attack and defense will be practiced,
the bayonet charge developed along up
to date lines and hand grenades, trench
bombs, gas masks and other ifnple-
ments and accoutrements Of the trench
warriors will have q tryout
Many Units Nearly Ready.
In the opinion OF general stan Of
icers, there are many units OF the ma
.ional guard which will require only
,ix weeks or two months training In
American camps before being sent
abroad for the intensive training they