Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1917-08-16
MEN CALLED UNDER DRAFT
CAN'T JOIN REGULARS NOW

Provost Marshal General Crowder
and his assistants are at work on
the final set of regulations to be
promulgated this week to complete
the organization of the selective
draft war army. They will govern
actual mobilization of the men Sc
lected.
Statements issued today by the
war department show the prelimi-
nary figures placing the total force
OF national guard into the federal
service August 5 at 1908 officers
and 419,934 men. Another statement
showed that 1896 war volunteers
have been recruited for the regular
service since April 1, leaving only
about 1000 vacancies in the regulars
at war strength.
Third Element of Army.
These figures mean that approx
imately 725,000 men are now under
arms exclusive of the navy and ma
rine corps, to be supplemented with
in the next few weeks by $4,000
raised under the selective draft bill.
OF the latter about 100000 will COM
pose the third great element of the
war army, the national army and
the remainder will go to fill up the
regulars and the guards and their
reserves.
The mobilization regulations will
show how the drafted men are to be
assigned. Already the war depart
ment has received countless appli-
cations from men certain to be call
ed in the first increment of the draft
forces for assignment to some par
tlcular arm or branch of the service.
Where a man has been summoned
by the local board for physical ex-
animation, no method exists where
by he may enlist in the regulars and
have his services count on the home
quota.
Meet Wishes if Possible.
1t is probable, however, that some
effort will be made to meet the
wishes of the drafted men in this re-
gard, as far as possible when they
are mobilized. 1t can only be done
in a limited extent, as the regulars
and guards, as shown by today's
statement, are practically filled up
now.
The war department has taken
over recruiting for the national
guard as well as for the regulars, the
entire guard having now become a
part of the regular army of the Uni
ted States and having no connection
with the states. Today's statement
says that about half the men apply
ing for enlistment are within the
draft ages. Those accepted will
count as credits on subsequent quo
tas of their districts.
The statement lays stress, however
on the fact that the country wants
all the men it can get who can bt
spared at home.
Fill up Regular Army.
The national guard statement
shows that only the number of men
short of the 419,S34 shown by check
ing of the muster rolls of depart.
ment commanders and rejection OF
any found unfit, will be taken from
the draft forces for guard service.
The recruiting service expects to fill
the regular army to full war service
tomorrow or next day so that there
probably will be a surplus of 150,-
| 600 more men when the full 687 900
| of the first increment of the national
army is assembled
In addition, recruiting throughout
the country will supplement the ex-
cess, all men who volunteer going
into the regulars or the national
guard or into the reserve after full
war strength is reached.
Plan Recruit Reservoir.
1t is regarded as likely that the me
bilization regulations soon to be issu
ed will show that the surplus of
drafted men is to be used as re-
cruit reservoir and that all the men
will be put under training as quickly
as possible. A recruit depot will be
established in France, from which
regiments at the front will be kept
| filled up, drafts of men from the
main recruit depot in this country
being sent over to this distribution
center as needed. In the same way
sick and wounded men will be re-
turned to the front when recovered
and a steady flow of recruits to mair
tain active regiments at top fighting
efficiency will be provided in thi.
way.
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