The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-05-11
RAILWAY REGIMENTS
WILL GO TO FRANCE


regiments of army engineers, to be
composed exclusively of highly train
ed railway men, will be the first
American troops to be sent to France.
They will go cat the earliest possible
moment" the war department an
nounced today, for work on COM
munication lines, but speculation as
to exactly when or to what points
they will be sent is forbidden because
OF the submarine menace.
The new forces will be volunteers,
raised at nine great railway centres
of the country. Each regiment will
be commanded by an engineer colonel
Of the regular army, aided by an
adjutant. iAll other officials will be
railway engineers or officials.
The, expedition will have total
strength of between 1000 and
$4,000 men. each regiment being
composed Of two battalions OF three
companies each. Every branch OF
railway workers necessary to the
building or operation of lines will be
represented in the ranks and the wal
department expects RESPONSE to the
call that will permit careful selec-
ton to be exercised and insure a
force already trained to the minute,
an army of experts in railway opera
ton.
To Hasten Enlistment.
Recruiting for the. regiments and
the organization Of each force will be
directly under the colonel of each
regiment. Recruiting machinery OF
the regular service or the National
Guard will be placed at their service
and it is hoped the enrolment OF the
troops will take little time. The re-
cruiting points will be Atlanta, New
York. Chicago. St. Louis, Boston,
Pittsburgh, Detroit, San Francisco
and Philadelphia.
officials believe the great railroad
brotherhoods will cooperate. throw
ing the strength of the unions behind
the recruiting efforts. The railway
companies already are so organized
under the council of national de-
fense that their cooperation is as
sured. The engineers and officials OF
the lines who offer themselves will be
selected in such a manner as not TO
cripple the operating forces of any
company.
The decision to send the engineers
is understood to have grown out OF
conference here between government
oficials and members Of the French
and British war missions.
One of the greatest problems OF the
war has been that of maintaining
adequate supply lines and the rail-
roads are the vital element of the
system that feeds men, shells and
food toward the fighting front.
Moved Whole Railroad.
Engineer feats of spectacular ma
ture have been accomplishing IN per-
fecting these communicating lines. A
whole British railroad was picked UP
bodily, rolling stock, rails, roadoed
and allj and taken to France. Amerl-
can engineers had much to do with
that. They also have under CONTRACT
with the British and French govern
ments driven tunnels, built spurs ana
bridges and mapped out schemes OF
transportation that are in operation
today
America is preeminent in the neld
of railway engineering and the best
talent and experience the nation can
provide in that line will go into the
new regiments, each of which would
be able to undertake all or any part
of the work of building or operating
q whole railway system.
Commanders for the new regiments
probably will be announced tomor-
row. Work of recruiting the regl-
ments will start Immediately and as
each recruiting centre is city where
there is an army post, it is assumed
the regiments will be assembled IN
army barracks and their organization
perfected.
While the regular engineer troops
of the army are among the best drill
ed in the service, it is improbable that
the new regiments will be subjected
to any lengthy military training. They
will be given military organization
only for the sake of greater mobility
and efficiency They will carry the