The Washington herald., 1917-03-26
MAY RAISE Large ARMY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

Department OF the East and will take
over the command of the new Southeast
ern Department, comprising the Southern
Atlantic and Eastern Gulf Coast States.
which the War Department looks upon as
probably the point Of the greatest stra-
tegic Importance at this time. because Of
conditions in the caribbean. and because
OF the fact that these States lie nearest
to the Panama Canal Zone.
Maj. Gen. Franklin Bell will take the
new Eastern Department. and Brig. Gen.
Clarence r. Edwards will resign the COM
mand OF the Panama Canal Zone to Brig.
Gen. Edward H. Plummer. Gen. Edwards
assuming command of the new North
eastern Department in New England. The
order reorganizing the service, as issued
yesterday, read:
ITO facilitate the Capitalization Of COM
mands, the United States is divided into
six military departments In place OF the
four now existing. The new organization
becomes effective May l, 1917. and COM
prises the following:
THE Northeastern Departmental en-
brace the States of Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Vermont. Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island, and Connecticut, headquarters at
Boston.
Capital in Eastern Department
THE Eastern Department, to embrace
the States of New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania. Delaware, Maryland. vir-
ginia West Virginia, District of Colum-
bia, the Canal Zone, and the Island of
Porto Rico, with the islands and keys
adjacent thereto. headquarters at Gov
ernors Island, n. Y.
The Southeastern Department, to en-
brace the States Of Tennessee, North
Carolina. South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi, to-
gether with the coast defenses OF New
Orleans and the coast defenses Of Gal
weston, headquarters at Charleston, s. C.
"The Central Department. to embrace
the States Of Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan.
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Mis-
souri,. Kansas. Nebraska, Wyoming. and
Colorado. headquarters at Chicago.
THE Southern Department, to embrace
the States of Louisiana, except the coast
defenses of New Orleans, Texas, except
the coast defenses Of Galveston. Arkansas,
Oklahoma. New Mexico, and Arizona,
Headquarters at Fort Sam Houston, San
Antonio, Texas.
1.-The Western Department to embrace
the States of Washington, Oregon, Idaho
Montana. California. Nevada. Utah and
Ihe ISlIiIoIS VI AldShdp nedQQudI IeTS al
San Francisco.
Mai. Gen. Leonard Wood will COM
mand the. Southeastern Department.
Maj. Gen. Franklin Bell will COM
mand the Eastern Department.
MAI. Gen. Hunter Liggett will COM
mand the Western Department.
Brig Gen. Clarence R. Edwards will
command the Northwestern Department
Brig. Gen. Edward H. Plummer will
command the troops in the Panama Canal
Zone.
"Other department commanders will re-
main as at present.
HUGH L. SCOTT, Chief of Staff"
Militia to Stay Near Home.
The militia organizations, called into
the Federal service yesterday will be de-
tailed to service in the neighborhood OF
their home cities. and their muster into
the national service was designed merely
10 centraliZe control of the forces The
militia will be assigned to guard all
threatened points. where crank violence,
or conspiracies by German sympathizers
might jsopardtss important mflttsry