The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1917-03-27
WILSON ISSUES ORDERS BRINGING NAVY
TO FULL AUTHORIZED STRENGTH
Southeastern Created With Headquarters In
Charleston and Maj. Gen. Leonard
Wood In Command.

washington, March 25.-PreSident
Wilson took steps today to place the
nation on war footing.
BY executive order he directed
that the navy be authorized without
delay to the full authorized war
strength of $1,000 enlisted men.
Taken in connection with emergency
naval construction already ordered
this means that the president has ex-
ercised the full limit Of his legal
powers as commander in chief to
prepare the navy for war.
For the army, the president direct
ed that two new military depart
ments be created in the Atlantic coast
region. The order means that the
task OF organizing whatever army
congress may authorize will be divid-
ed among six departmental COM
maDders instead Of four in the in
terest of speed and efficiency in mob
ilization. The third step was to as
sumo as national duty the task Of
protecting American industries. from
domestic disorders in the event OF
hostiities. For this purpose IL, full
infantry regiments, two separate
battalions and one separate company
|of the National Guard were called
back into the federal service to act
as national police in important dis
tricts. Supplementing these troops
a regiment OF Pennsylvania guard
and two companies OF Georgia in
fantry en- route home from the bor-
der for muster out were ordered re-
tanned in the federal service.
No Comment Made.
The presidents orders were made
known in terse official statements is
sued by both departments. No expla-
nation accompanied them except the
statement that reorganization of the
military departments effective May 1
was designed to facilitate decentrali-
cation of command.
Following is the executive order
bringing the navy up to war
strength:
"By virtue OF the authority vested
in the president by the act OF con-
gress August 20, 1916, entitled AN
act making appropriations for the
naval service for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1917, and for other pur-
poses 1t is hereby directed that the
authorized enlisted strength Of the
nauu ha {ncraocad 20 nnn
(Signed) Woodrow Wilson"
The navy must enroll Immediately
approximately 10000 men to reach
the required strength. Secretary Dan.
iels supplemented it tonight with
personal kilograms to newspaper ed
itors all over the country urging
them to aid the department in every
way in their power to obtain the
men.
The war department statement
follows:
"To facilitate decentralization Of
command the United States is d.
vided into six military departments
in place of the four now existing The
new organization becomes elective
May 1, 1917, and comprise the fol-
lowing:
"A-Northeastern department, to
embrace the States of Maine. New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,,
Rhode Island and Connecticut
Headquarters at Boston.
"B-Eastern department, to en-
brace the States OF New York, New
Jersey. Pennsylvania. Delaware.
Maryland and Virginia. West Vir-
ginia. District OF Columbia AMI the
canal zone and the Island OF Puerto
Rico with the islands and keys ad-
jacent thereto. Headquarters at
Governors Island
Moved to Charleston.
"C-Southeastern department, to
embrace the States of Tennessee,
North Carolina, South Carolina.
Georgia. Florida, Alabama and Mis-
sissippi. with coast defenses of New
Orleans and the coast defenses of
Galveston. Headquarters at Char
lesion s. c.