The Washington herald., 1917-05-06
Army and Navy News
Best Service Co,uu, !. 60

compieteiy equipped camp for the
training OF military observers from can
tive balloons, which has been estabIished
at Stapleton, Staten Island. by corn
mittee OF the Aero Club Of America. Al a
cost of s-o,Voo, has been turned over 10
tne ohlted states Army Signal Corps.
WIN ehe siIt went the proffer OF the
services or twenty-five selected men.
mainly Columbia University students
VINO nave begun training at the camn.
Omclal proner of the Gift was made
by Mrs. Charles A. Van RensseIIaer
VINO was mainly responsible for estabIish-
ment OF the camp. in letter to Brig.
Gen. George o. Squier, chief signal ON
Ger Of the army.
MIS- van Rensselaer, points out that
mlhtary observation from captive bal
loons q nItai necessity TO an army at
war. ana that the training of men in
this branch Of the signal service has been
sadly neglected by this country In con-
sequence, patriotic citizens Contributed
the sV,VOo needed to establish the camp
and drummed up the TWENTY-FIVE recruits.
The twenty-five were selected from a
mueh larger number Of eager applicants.
Fifteen already have passed the rigid
physicai examinations prescribed for this
are eager for service.
The camp is established ar Ocean Tar
race, overlooking the Narrows. II has
l5O-foot dormitory shed, with accom-
modations for twenty-five men. Including
twenty-five regulation cots, fifty regula-
ton army blankets, a fully equipped
Kitchen, and a water supply. The equip
ment includes military type balloon,
a winch with engine, 5000 cubic feet of
cable. and two specially designed para
chutes.
Under the initial draft to secure 800. =
GOO men TO make up the first army for
the war with Germany. New York will
furnish the greater number. 1855 and
Nevada the lowest, 500 This has been
determined by the War Department,
which has its machinery projected to
put the draft into effect Immediately.
Judge Advocate General Crowder, in
charge OF the registration, estimated YES
terday that some 100000 men win be
available under the initial registration
from whom selection will be made.
In addition to the State quotas under
the initial draft, each State must supply
men to bring the National Guard and
regular army up TO war strength either
by the volunteer system or, il that
fails. by extension of the draft. The
regulars will need 10000 to bring
their ranks up to the war strength
OAAaStiS LolsbAo men,
while the National Guard will REQUIRE
at least 100000 men to replace vacan-
cies due to discharges because of de-
pendents and the like
The estimated totals as prepared BY
the War Department statisticians OF
the State quotas as announced by Gen
Crowder are as follows:
Alabama, 1l,14s: Arizona. l.l5O; Ar
kansas, S,o49: California, 1858: Colo
rado, 1898; Connecticut 5,747:; Della
ware. 1.149; District of Columbia
ISIS; Florida, 4.59s: Georgia, 1873,
Idaho. z.2sS; Illinois, 31,O34: Indiana
1882; Iowa, 12,4o3: Kansas, 9,Is5;
Kentucky. 12.443; Louisiana, $3.50;
Maine. 4,5sS; Maryland. e,9S5; Massa-
chusetts, 1s,39S; Michigan, 14,s42:;
Minnesota, l1,4s5; Mississippi. 9,1s5
Missouri, 1880; Montana $500: Ne
braska, $500; Nevada, 500; New Hamp-
shire, 3.422: New Jersey. 1859; New
Mexico. 1880; New York, 45.s45; North
Carolina, 11.S0O; North Dakota. 3.44s
Ohio. 25,2S6; Oklahoma, s,lO0; Oregon
$500; Pennsylvania, 1.37S: Rhode
Island, $500; South Carolina, 1881;
South Dakota. $3.50; Tennessee, 1904;
Texas, 2O,6Ss; Utah. 3.0s9: Vermont
2,2sS; Virginia. ll.4s5; Washington
5,747; West Virginia, 6,sS5; Wisconsin
l2.44S; Wyoming, 1,l5O.
In all subsequent drafts it is ,ex.
pected that the above percentage OF
each 10000 will be observed.