The Sentinel=record., 1917-04-06


 en which has followed Secretary Daniels call for recruits. There is a boom in recruiting for the marine corps, too, which has been raised to an authorized war strength of 17000 and soon is to be further increased.
 Passage of the war resolution is the signal for mobilization of 15.00O naval militiamen and reserves 10 sup port the regulars.
 For the coast patrol of submarine chasers hundreds of contracts have been let, and many other small craft have been offered by private owners. Secretary Daniels hopes within a short period to have at least 2,00O such boats in operation, and should the facilities for their construction or for the building of other naval craft prove inadequate, all plans are ready to commandeer private ship. yards under the authorization of con gross.
 Tho army, whose great need is trained men and officer, is employ ing unusual means to prepare for tho organization and training of any force congress may authorize Hundreds of applications for commissions in the officers reserve corps are being ac. cepted and for the grade of second lieutenant the bars have been let down to men who never have had military training. More comprehen- siye plans than ever before have been drawn fcr training camps for fitting these officers and others for duty. Units of the reserve officers training corps have been established in many colleges, where thousands of students are under training, and enlisted men who could take commands have been designated for commissions from every regiment of regulars. Gradua- ton April 20 of the junior class at West Point has been ordered by Sec retary Baker
 For increasing 'he enlisted strength vigorous recruiting campaign is un- der way.
 To decentralize the military organi- latons the United States has been di- vided into six military districts instead of four, with two extra departments added to the Atlantic coast.
 In the matter of supplies the army is well provided. With rifles and other equipment for a vast army all ready on hand. enormous contracts have been placed by the quartermas- ter's department and the contracts are elastic so that other millions can be spent as soon as appropriations are made
 Clothing manufacturers have united in eXpeditine the making of uniforms, as have other industrial concerns in providing quickly other necessary 
 Much of the new equipment will go 10 the national guard. For the first time the organization of small de- tached units of this branch of the mili- tary has been authorized for the bene. fit of the rural communities
 The plans for army expansion ap. proved by the general staff are con sidered complete in every detail re- gardless of what sort of expansion may be authorized. Universal serv- ice is the method favored and as result of months of study on a uni versal service scheme everything is ready to make it effective Machin- cry for a volunteer army of 500.O00 or 1,00000 has been provided, how ever, for immediate use, should that method be chosen, or the staff is ready to go ahead as best it can with the present regular and national guard system. Owing to the uncer- tainties of congressional action, the staff has overlooked no alternatives.
 The work of the National Defense Council in cO-ordinating all defense measures not strictly military or naval has been regarded by officials as quite as important as any other tdsk or preparedness. The resulting mobilization plan is said to be one of the most complete worked out in any country The council has created q commercial economy board with bread authority to deal with the cru cial problems of war time distribu- tion of commodities. Experienced economists will serve without pay on the board and their efforts are ex. pected to insure the country against the confusion and loss of economic power that usually attends the out break of war,
 In the coordination plant transpor- tation has been considered one of the most important factors. As to trans. portation on the sea, preparations of gTf A1qe have been madeM
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