The copper era and Morenci leader., 1917-06-08
ARMY 0F 500,00O IN SIXTEEN
 CAMPS
First Great American Fighting Ma
 chine Will Be MobiIized By Sept i

WASHINGTON, June 1.-lmport- ant revisions in the plan for training the war army have been made by the war department which announced to- day that the half million men to be called to the colors in September will be concentrated in 16 cantonments in- stead of 32, and that many of the forces probably would be put into tents instead of wooden barracks.
 Lack of funds, material, labor and transportation facilities, Secretary Baker said, were determining influ- ences in the decision to reduce the number of cantonments. The previ- ous plan to build 32 of the camps was reported, it was explained, after con gress had appropriated $77,000,000 on the theory that there would be only Is. For a time the larger number was considered practicable, but that would have overtaXed resources at the departments command.
 Although the change will upset all the tentative plans for camp locations made by department commanders, it is not expected to delay beyond Sep tember l the mobilization of a great draft army. Four of the Is canton ment sites provided for under the new plan already have been selected ! and choice of the others is expected soon. Secretary Baker indicated that building would proceed as rapidly as possible. The four sites selected are at American Lake, Wash, Atlanta, Ga, Ayre, Mass, and Wrightstown N. J.
 A more plentiful supply of canvas than expected made it possible to put some of the troops under tents. A canvas shortage was largely respon sible for the original plan to house the ! army in wooden barracks, for army officials have preferred tenting from 1 the start. Most of the tents used probably will be placed at southern camps.
 In making the announcement, Sec retary Baker said also that forces in excess of those which could be cared | for in the 1e cantonments would be placed under canvas. This was taken as referring to national guard divi sions, although the militia bureau has received no instructions in this re gard.
 l There is no indication of an inten
 ton to alter the plan for formation o1
 16 divisions of the guard. The ques tion of filling these up to war strengtf probably will not be settled unti
 selection of men for military service in the draft army begins. It is pos
 sible that it will be found better a that time, if the state forces have no
 been recruited to full strength, to con solidate into a smaller number of di visions, but under the law either tn, regulars or guard can be filled III with men from the selected lists
 that is desired.
 Meantime the national guard unit of the eastern portion of the countr, will be drafted into the federal armie
 July 15. Undoubtedly they will be pu
 under canvas as rapidly as divisiona
 mobilization is ordered, and the plal
 of training virtually all guard div sions in the southern section Of tn jcountry will be adhered to. The guar
 already has a considerable supply c
 tentage and machinery of tn council of national defense is at wor endeavoring to secure enough for >al
 forces with little delay.
 All of the guard units will hay been drafted into the service by Au
 gust l. This does not mean, however
 that all will have been ordered t
 divisional training camps at that time
 Presumably the best equipped and re cruited forces will be made ready frs
 for duty abroad, but there has beel Inc announcement as to the process t.
 be followed.
 l More than 6O,O00 guardsmen nov
 are engaged in police work, guardin bridges, factories and other struC
 lures, and that work will have to b
 kept up.
 A