The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1917-05-23


mate force Of approximately .2,000,-.
900 men to back up the first troops
to go to the front. When the bill
had been signed the President affixed
his name to proclamation calling
upon all men in the county b iween
the ages of 21 AMI 80, inc, size, to
register themselves for military SER
vice on June next. Tn, nron lama
tion sets in motion i:nna i;aGolJ ma
chinery that will enroll en 81, 1O,-
100000 men and pave the way or the
selection of the first 100000 young
efficient soldiers, without CT; >pling
the industries or commerce of the ma
tion or bringing hardship on those at
home.
National Guard. &st,FT
But before the bill was signed the
War Department announced that the
full strength of the National Guard
would be drafted into the United
States army, beginning June Is and
concluding August s. Orders to bring
the regiments to full war strength
immediately accompanied the notifi-
cation sent to all Governors. A mini
mum of $4,000 fighting men will be
brought to the colors under those or
ders, supplementing the $4,000 reg
ulars who will be under arms by
June Is.
1t is from these forces that the
first armies to join Gen. Pershing at
the front will be drawn, to be followed
within few months by recurring
waves from the selective draft armies,
the first 100000 of whom will be mo-
bilized September 1.
Pcrshing's Expedition.
Following is the text of the terse
announcement of the War Depart
ment as to Gen. Pershing's cxpedi-
ton:
"The President has directed an ex-
peditionary force of approximately
one division of regular troops, under
command of Gen. John J. Pershing, to
as practicable. Gen. Pershing and
staff will precede the troops abroad.
at is requested that no details or
speculation with regard to mobiliza-
ton of this command, dates of de-
parture or other than official bulle-
tins given out by the War Department
relating thereto"
Gen. Pcrshing has been in Wash
ington some days. He was person.
ally summoned by Secretary Baker
from the Southern Department., which
was under his command until to-
nights orders was issued
Plans for Expedition.
The man who led the expedition
into Mexico with such judgment and
skill as to win for him the complete
| confidence of the President and his
advisers, has worked hard on plans
for the expedition to France. He has
been in daily conference with Secre-
tary Baker, Major Gen. Bliss, acting
chief of staff, with department off,
cials cooperating in the preparation
of the forces he will lead against the
Germans and also with Lieut.. Gen.
Bridges, head Of the military section
Of the British mission and a veteran
of battlefclds of France.
Nothing that either French or
British officers have been able to fur
nish in the way of information has
been lacking and there Is every indi-
cation that the regular forces which
will compose the expeditionary divis-
ion are being selected with greatest
care.
No Inkling of Plans.
No inltling of the plans for that di-
vision have been allowed to leak out
1t is known, however, that orders
have already gone forward to officers
of tried Judgment and long expert
cnce notifying them TO prepare for
foreign service.
The war in Europe has developed
many new phases of battle not here
tofore known in military science. Ar
tillery has decided the fate of many
battles and every army has doubled
and trcblcd it's guns, both in size and
number. For this reason it was
thought likely the expeditionary
forces would include a dsproportion.
ate number of artillery troops and be
backed by a solid wall Of guns wher
| it comes to prinS with the ennmu