Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-11-30
Room For Foresters.

According to rumor. volunteering for al
branches of the army will stop after De.
cember IS. That leaves but little while
to join any arm of the service of your own
free will. as the Maryland State Board Of
Forestry points out.
Its State Forester, F. W. Besley. has, since
June last been acting as the listing officer
of Maryland for the Tenth and Twentieth
Forest Engineers. To his office has fallen
the task Of recruiting, examining and pass
ing the Maryland quota of the force which
will visit Europe to get the sinews of war, in
wood, from the French and other allied for
ests with the greatest possible utilization in
the present and the least possible damage
to those resources for the future. The
French and Italian Forester is good, but
the State Board of Forestry wants him to
know that the Maryland outdoor man, her
practical woodsman, is good in his way
too. And just at present he has his chance
to show it.
According to orders received from the
Government. the listing officer for Mary
land is authorized to accept for immediate
service men who have had experience in
sawmills. The United States engineers can
use large number Of sawyers, settlers,
doggers. edgermen. steam engineers, fire.
men, autotruck drivers and every kind of
experienced Logger, including general and
woods teamsters. The Government has
notified Mr. Besley that it can have men
indicted into the engineering service who
have been drawn under the draft, but who
have not yet reported at camp, provided
that it is supplied with the serial number
and order number of the man, his local
district board number. whether called by
this board or not. If exempted. whether any
claim for exemption is pending, If already
notified by the local board to report in
person for military service and special
qualifications for the Forest Engineers.
The Government also would like to have
the names of men who can do one or more
kinds Of woods work, even IL they are al
ready in camp. II furnished with their
names. company. regiment and canton
ment where they are now stationed. 1t is
possible that transfer to this regiment
might be arranged.
However in order to have drafted man
transferred and assigned to the Forest
Engineers, 1t must be shown that his qualifi-
cations for this one kind Of work are unmis-
takably greater than for any other sort Of
service. 1t is better to volunteer and
quicker. and the applicants are likely to
be better placed. More than half of those
enlisted through the aid Of Mr.. Besley' s
Office have already attained noncommis-
stoned rank. although the first men went
in only last summer.
The War Department also has announced
that a limited number Of clerks. cooks,
general teamsters and French-English in
terpreters also may be placed now. Clerks
capable Of doing stenography and type
writing efficiently. II physically fit and APP
plying Immediately, will be accepted. APP
plicants must be white, between 10 and
40. inclusive. They are first sent to q
recruiting depot for preliminary instruction,
uniforms and complete equipment, then
are assembled at.the American University
Washington, D. c.. for final instruction fol-
service in the woodlands of our Allies
probably France. The first detachment il
already there. having made the trip sue.
cessfully some weeks ago. 1t is possible
that little If any of the work Of the Forest
Engineers will be in the trenches. but a
fine field of service is opened up to healthy
capable men who have done that sort OF
thing before. Recruiting for this force Is
proceeding very rapidly, and to secure de-
sirable places application should be made
at once. either in person or writing, to the
office of the Board of Forestry. 532 North
Howard street. Baltimore.