Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-06-27
La, SOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 81, 1917,
HALF MILLION VOL1JNTEERS
want 10000 More During this Week.
Million by Draft.

Washington, June 24.-More than
half a million men have volunteered
IN the American army and navy dur
ing the period of less than three
months that has elapsed since the war
was declared to exist. #l
Ihe army, navy and national guard,
represented an aggregate strength of
little more than 100000 men when
tho war resolution was adopted. To-.
Gay between 100000 and 100000 are
enrolled and the great majority of
tnem are armed, equipped and under
training. They will be joined at the.
end Of the summer by nearly a mil.
non men selected for the new nation
al army. 81
Figures OH Volunteers. M
The regular army totaled little
more than 100000 men three months
ago; 1t Is nearing the 100000 mark
to-day and War Department officials,
backed by the press Of the country,
are bending every effort to bring it
up to 100000 during the present,
week. 4
The national guard. 10000 strong.
when war came, numbers nearly
100000 to-day and nearly $4,000 ac-
tually are under arms, guarding
against German plotters and doing
the job thoroughly. a
The marine corps has been raised
from 1900 to nearly 10000 men.
The regular bluejacket force of the
navy has been raised from less than.
$4,000 to 10000. The boys of the,
country have thronged to the navy I'M
such numbers that recruiting stations
could not be built fast enough to ac-:
commodate them.
An entirely new force Of railway
engineers for duty in France has been.
created, and some Of the regiments
are now at full strength and ready to
go. Probably $4,000 men have al
ready Joined these regiments.
Forty thousand picked men are
under strenuous training at the off,
GERS training camps, insuring, good
junior officers for the national army.
Other thousands are doing their share
at the medical corps and engineer,
corps training camps, and still others
are with the naval coast defense re-
serve keeping the Atlantic coast free
from the submarine menace.
So
The Immediate need I, af MN istras
t1on officials believe, Is to bring the
regular army up to it's full strength
without delay These are the first
line troops, the men who will be the
first Americans to face the German
hosts. They wilT be the bone and
sinew Of Gen. Pershing's army, and
there must be no delay in getting
them ready to go.
President Wilson has designated
the present week as recruiting week
for the regulars. Secretary Baker has
sought the aid of all newspapers to
the end that 10000 men shall be en-
rolled before June 80. No explana-
tion of the need for getting the men
by that time has been given, but It
has been assured that it has to do
with getting forces to Europe.
Every Volunteer Cuts States Quota.
Brig. Gen. Mccain, adjutant gene
raj of the army, pointed out again to-
DAY That under the selective army
Dill, every man who volunteers in the
regulars now from any State means
one man less that State will be re-
CURED to furnish in the national
army. A careful record Of the State
distribution Of recruits Is being kent
for that purpose.
Gen. Mccain also directed atten-
t1on to the fact that after the second
series of officers training camps has
closed, the only road to promotion
Will be from the existing forces. Men
IN the regular regiments will have
equal If not better chances for secur-
ing commissions than men in the ma
t1onal guard Or the national army.
Ihey Will be Of longer experience and
will be first to be sent to France.
U. 8. Destroyer Sees Ship Sink.