The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-03-27
GUARDS TO BE RECRUITED
TO FULL WAR STRENGTH
Governor Manning States That NO
New Units Will Be Organized in
South Carolina Until Present Or
ganixati0ns Are at Highest N0tcn.

" III Ut "a Sc.IlILSd III tilC iiStIiN4''NA
guard Of South Cirolina until the
present organizations are recruited 10
full war strength. Such is the effect
of a statement issued by Governor
Manning today.
The governor will accept the resig-
nations OF officers only when tneir
ie,iTe 2cat ::u..l :,ic service is re-
quired either by abnormal circum-
stances, or for the good Of the ser
vice.
The military authorities here ar:
taking steps which will keep Soutn
Carolina in line, looking towards 1t
declaration OF war at any moment.
The statement issued from the gov
ernor's office is as follows:
"The formation Of new units in the
national guard Of South Carolina has
been set aside as individual at the
present time by Governor Manning,
commander-in-ch Of the militia
forces of the State, inasmuch as the
units now in the service are not re-
cruited to anywhere near their maxi
mum war strength. This decision is
in compliance with recent statements
from the war department. The gov
ernor also has declined to eccept res
ignations of officers except under eA-
ceptional circumstances or to grant
discharges of enlisted men except as
strictly provided for in the national
defense act OF June 3, 1916.
Many Applications.
GA large number Of applications
have been received by Governor Man
ming, asking him for authority to or
ganize new units in various branches
of the service. While all these letters
and telegrams have been filed for ref
erence in case of call for volunteers,
no definite action will be taken Oh
them until the present national guard
forces are sufficiently recruited tU
justify the expense Of organizing and
recruiting additional units.
THE governor points out that one
of the units of the States militia was
not accepted by the government IN the
mastering in last year, due to the TACT
that it was not recruited to the mini
mum strength. furthermore, as Is
shown by the annual report OF New
ton D. Baker, secretary OF war, the
removal OF State troops to the Mexl-
can border last summer was compler-
ed because of the exigencles or the
occasion and not because the units
were sufficiently recruited. While Gil
the border and since mastering out
the personnel Of the units has oeeh
numerically diminished due to reslg-
nations and discharges, and the gov
ernor considers the recruiting OF
these organizations to their fuil
strength of far greater Importance
than even the tentative organization
of new and unequipped units.
Not Easy to Resign.
Governor Manning will accept only
those designations of officers wnose
retirement from the service is requlr-
ed either by abnormal circumstances
or for the good of the service. "A plea
of normal personal sacrifice in fol-
lowing the colors will not be consn-
cred a sufficient reason for accep-
tance of a resignation, inasmuch as
the business and personal sacrlrlces
of enlisted men, often more acute
than those of the commissioned olh-
GERS. are not sufficient justification TOT
discharge.
"Djcharges for enlisted men, other
than those authorized by the presl-
dent or secretary Of war, or by gen
eral courtmartial, will be given only
as nrovided in the national defense
act of June 3, 1916. These provisions
are briefly: On account OF physlcal
disability: on account Of sentence OF
imprisonment by a civil court, Wheth-
er suspended or not; on account OF d
bonafide permanent change OF resi-
dence to another State and Tor the
nurpose of enlisting in the regular
army, navy or marine corps. DIS
charges under this last provision are
discretionary with the governor, VINO
NAV cease to grant them II 1t pc
comes apparent that the na1lohal
guard will be disrupted.
Engineering Companies.
Adit Gen. w. W. Moore received a
communication today from the chlel
of the militia bureau suggesting anu
Urging the organization OF two adal-
tional engineering companies IN order
TO relieve the battalion organizations
of this State from this branch OF lne
service.
The letter to the adjutant general
sets forth that it is not practical 10
maintain a smaller organization than
a battalion, and that, therefore, there
should be sufficient engineering COM
panies in the various State organlza-
tons to form battalions OF their OWL
Persons interested in the organization
of the proposed two new companies
of engineers are requested 10 COM
municate with Adjt. Gen. W. W. Moore
at once.
The women of South Carolina are
becoming enthused, in view OF the
war situation and many OF them are
Offering their services as Red cross
nurses.
Women Organize.
Ike