New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-05
War Department Plans for
Great Force All
Complete
Selection Waiting
Only on Draft Law
52S,659 Men and 1883
Officers Needed; Regulars
To Be Promoted

Washington, May (. The full
strength Of the frst war army organ
lied under the selective draft bill vii
be 1888 officers and 52s $50 enlisted
men. making up eighteen war strength
divisions complete in every man AMI
supplemented by sixteen regiments Of
heavy field artillery, equipped with
large calibre howitzers.
Virtually every detail OF plans for
raising, training, equipping and or
ganizing this force has been carefully
worked out by the War Department,
and the selection of the men will begin
; as soon as the draft measure becomes
law. Conferrees Of the Senate and
House hope to agree upon disputed
features tomorrow, so as to send the
bill to the President for his signature
carly next week.
Divisions by Districts
A revised list OF officers training
camp districts issued to-day by the de-
partment indicates that the divisions
Of the first half million new fighting
men will be formed as follows:
First Divsion-Troops from all New
England States.
Second-New York Congressional
Districts to 2s Including Long ISL
and. New York City and strip north
of the city,.
Third Remainder Of New York
State and Pennsylvania Congressional
Districts 10, II, IA, j ., 16, p, % and 2S.
Fourth-Remainder Of Pennsylvania
State. including Philadelphia and Pitts
burgh.
Fifth-New Jersey, Delaware. Mary
land Virginia and District of Columbia.
Sixth North and South Carolina and
Tennessee.
Seventh-Georgia, Alabama and
Florida.
Eighth-Ohio and West Virginia.
NInth-lndiana and Kentucky.
Tenth-IllinOis.
Michigan and Wisconsin.
Twelfth-Arkansas. Mississippi and
Louisiana.
Minnesota, Iowa, North
and South Dakota and Nebraska.
Fourteenth Missouri, Kansas and
Colorado.
ifteenth-Oklahoma and Texas
Sixteenth Montana, Idaho, Washing
ton, Oregon, California. Nevada, Utah,
Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico.
Two Cavalry Divisions
In addition. there will be two sepa
rate cavalry divisions, which probably
will be situated in the Southwest, near
the Mexican border. Officers for the
cavalry divisions will be trained at all
of the sixteen officers training camps,
which will be opened within a few
days, with 10000 prospective officers
under training.
Each infantry division will consist
Of nine full regiments OF infantry.
three regiments of field artillery, one
regiment Of cavalry, one regiment of
engineers. one division hospital and
four camp infrmaries. The total
strength of the sixteen will be 1902
officers and 439, 792 men.
The TWO cavalry divisions combined
will have 1914 officers and 5000 fight
ing men, including mounted engineers
and horse artillery units, and each will
have also its divisional hospital and
camp infrmaries.
Coast Artillery Troops
The proportion Of coast artillery
troops 20 be provided out OF the first
500 900 will be 666 officers and 10000
men. with requisite medical troops
SupplementinG these tactical units
will be the sixteen regiments of heavy
field artillery, strength 1853 officers an
21104 men: eight aero squadrons. or
one new squadron to each two new
infantry divisions; eight balloon com
panes. ten field hospitals, ten am
bulance companies. twenty-five field
bakeries six telephone battalions. SIX
teen pack companies, six ammunition
trains and six supply trains.
In preparation for the enormous task
Of training this great army the exist
ing regular establishment and the Ma
tional Guard arc being brought TO full
war strength The regulars, when all
FIVE additional increments provided for
in the national defence act have been
added will total 1928 officers and
oo3, 900 men Of all arms. Since April l
nearly $4,000 recruits have been OBJ
! tanned. bringing the army up TO near
IS 10000.
Addition 10 Regulars Soon
Upon the Presidents approval OF the
army bill the first increment will be
/ added TO the regulars. Details Of Of
I fCers and designations of new units al
ready have been arranged As soon as