Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-05-23
TRAINING THE OFFICERS WHO WILL
COMMAND UNCLE SANS new ARMIES
hrFNe Thousand Bright Earnest Young Americans Assemble
at Fourteen Camps Scattered About the Country to Be
Drilled in the Science of War-Picked for
Mental and Physical Qualities

Washington. - ThIrty-five thousand
bright, energetic. earnest young Amer
leans ore assembling at IA camps, scat
tered throughout the country, to form
the nucleus of Uncle Sans new ar
mics
From them viii be chosen three
months hence the 10000 subalterns
needed for the first army increment
of 100000 who will begin training
about the first of August.
The war department called for the
most experienced natural leaders the
country possesses" to fill the officers
training camps. and high military Off
Gals here agreed as to the fine callber
of the material obtained.
Every one of the $4,000, besides
passing a rigid physical examination,
is either college graduate or has had
business career indicating his special
intelligence, personality and capacity
for organization and inspiring leader
ship.
The $4,000 themselves are picked
men. Even OF those who passed the
requirements only part, those
deemed most promising. can be accom-
modated in the camps. And when ii is
considered that only two out of every
seven men attending the camps will be
assigned a post in the new armies at
the close of the three months grueling
study and drill, it is obvious no drones,
no "boneheads" and no weakllngs
physically, mentally or morally. should
get the coveted assignments.
But those who failed to obtain en-
trance to a camp or who are not
chosen at the end of the first three
months need not give up hope of
serving their country as officers. An
other set of camps, probably larger
than the first, will Immediately follow
these. and the facilities for turning
out leaders for the new troops will be
expanded as America gradually de-
veops the full force of her power.
Have an Advantage.
Many of the young fellows now at
the mobilization points already have
commissions in the officers reserve
corps. others have had good records in
the National Guard or other military
organizations, or school training for
war work. These men have an ad-
vantage over the rest. for no one is
barred from the camps by entire lack
of direct military experience. The
more experienced, however, are most
likely to get their commissions first.
The rest may attend a second or even
q third camp and then be drafted into
the new armies.
Training In the camps will he In
tensive as possible, but viii be severe
~ handicapped by lack of suitable
Instructors. officers of the British and
French armies, some of them wounded.
have been coming back from the west
ern battle front in the last few weeks
and IT Is expected the small corps of
regular army instructors at each camp
will be materially assisted by these
veterans, who are fresh from the most
awful struggle In history.
The eyes of the whole nation will
be on these camps. a unique establish
ment In American history. Every town
and almost every village has furnished
camp member. and his career will be
closely watched by his friends and
relatives.
The best account of how the camps
will be conducted is given in an order
issued by the adjutant general at
Washington, brigadler general III. b.
Mccain. The details will have to be
worked out at each camp and IT will
be a strenuous business, for minutes
count. General Mccain says:
During the first month of the
camp those In attendance viii be d.
vided into Is companies. regardless Of
the arm Of the service for which the
individuals are destined. During this
month the qualifications of each man
will be studied. with view to as
signing the necessary numbers for fur
Their instruction In the separate arms
O. the service.
Selected by Merit.
at the end of the first month men
viii be raasSigned in due proportion
so as to form nine infantry companies,
three batteries Of artillery. two troops
OF cavalry and one company of engl-
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rFcro DrnpItITc taltTl rtOrC