Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-09-19

his recent trip to the National Capital
accompanied by his assistant, William
IL. Lawry, On business connected with
the selectiye service or military draft
Several matters were found to be TOO
complicated by correspondence and the
visit to Washington became necessary,
although a few hours interview Wnen
on the spot soon Strengthened out the
difficulties.
Names high standing with the war
department comes from the wiling
ness to assist in every way with the
department in solving the tremendous
problem Of assembling and equlpplng
ar army in a short time. Names In
fantry, her Coast Artillery, her Heavy
Artillery, her Naval Militia, her Med
ical Detachment, her Ambulance corps,
in fact all her forces were ready and
awaiting the word. so that when Uncle
Sam was ready with the transporta-
ton, the troops simply walked aboard
and were quickly at their respective
mobilization camps.
Then, when the first increment of the
selected draft men was called, the
Maine men landed at Camp Devens.
Aver, Mass, almost before the other
states had started their men. The
result is that the name for men from
Maine is Efficiency and Promptness.
| General Presson said he was often
asked in Washington how Maine was
able to accomplish so much in so
short a time, but was unable to tell
them any great secret, just saying
that Maine knew what was wanted and
went ahead and did it, without wait
| ing for someone else to do the work
for them. The Maine military auth
critics have been preparing for a long
! time for an efficient and properly
equipped military force and the result
was that when Uncle Sam wanted real
soldiers for the Mexican border, Maine
was ready, and the same has been
happening ever since. Not a call from
Washington, but what Maine was
ready to answer it.
General Presson had a long confer
ence with Colonel Ansell in Washing
ton. The colonel was for the first in
structor inspector of the Maine Ma
tional Guard and knows well it's con-
dtion and needs. He also is much
pleased with all the fine things being
said of the Maine soldier boys, es-
pecially the I'd Maine Infantry. Col.
Hume.
! Sam Connor.' the Well-known news
paper man and now the private secre-
tary of United States Senator Bert NJ.
fernald. writes as follows of the Sc
lectlve service question in Maine, while
Gen Presson was in Washington:
! "A man holding a prominent position
in connection with the draft work
said to the writer recently: I'D in
your State, it doesn't seem like a
draft force, but more as though IL
was a volunteer outfit being gotten
together. 1t shows that Maine is
awake to the fact that there is a war.
II my judgment no other state in the
nation has come so near to a realiza-
: ton of the fact that we are at war
Asked to what he attributed this,
he said: Why. from the very first.
YOUR State has been sending men to
the front. You have been having
young men come home minus a leg or
an arm, or blind; you have been read
inE that such and such a man from
this or that place in Maine was killed
II action. In short, sir, you've been
getting taste of the casualty list.
! You have had a forerunner Of the
thing which is going, eventually, to
wake America up, as it has not been
for years."