Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-29
ARMY CAMPS LIKE
REAL BATTLEF|ELDS
French Fighting and Bombing
to Be Taught in Train
ing Cantonments.
PLANS TO ENFORCE DRAFT

PLANS TO ENFORCE URAF !
Soldering will take on an aspect en-
tirely new to American military sci
ence when training of the forces to be
assembled under the draft bill begins
at the sixteen training environments
Careful plans laid by War Department
officials provide for the application i'm
mediately of every lesson learned from
European bat.lefieIds. and much of the
work TO be done viii be new even 70
men recently in army instruction
camps
The Army War College has prepared
new training manuals. based on the
latest information from the trenches of
the fighting fronts. gathered from many
sources Supplemental regulations will
cover even more detailed information
brought By the British and French Off
GERS here as members of the war mis-
sions.
May Follow Canadian Plan.
The American training system prob
ably will follow TO some extent that
used in Canada. where the instructors
have made every effort to reproduce as
closely as possible conditions at the
front. Sections of trenches have been
built at the Canadian camps exactly
duplicating important parts of the lines
in France held by Canadian troops.
Training in extending these works and
running SapS or erecting entangle-
rnents has gone on to the accompani-
ment of actual shell fire, so as to harden
the nerves of the troops as well as their
muscles.
To carry out this scheme the Can
adams have placed batteries opposite
the trenches and kept up a steady fire
at certain designated points. The in
fantrymen under training have done
their work night and day with shrap-
mel bursting close to them. The Off
GERS. of course, know the posts to be
pounded by the guns and keep the men
out of danger.
Bombing Practice Planned.
Another work that will be new to
American troops will be bombing prac-
tice. Every company will have its sec
ton of grenadiers to clear the way into
disputed trench. 1t requires practice
to perfect men in this revived art of
war. and it requires practice also to
teach men to act instinctively in re-
pelilHS DomDlng parties.
Machine gun work viii be revolution
lied. In Great Britain a separate Ma
chine Gun Corps has been created to
turn out complete machine gun companies
which handle the heavy water cooledVick-
erS- Maxim guns on defensive lines In
each company are skilled mechanics to
make repairs. highly trained gunners
packers and ammunition handlers
Among the line troops. also. are scat
tered great numbers of light machine
rifles for offense, one man carrying the
gun and several following him up with
ammunition as he creeps forward from
shell hole to shell hole in the very
front line of each attacking wave.
Curtain and Barrage Fire.
mechanisms for curtain and barrage fire
must be provided for. 1t takes long
training to fit gunners for this work
and absolute certainty of the lines of
communication with the observation
posts.
So far each element of the army there
are days of endless toll ahead The
signal men. engineers, aviators, balloon
men. the men who work the great guns
far behind the fighting lines: the per-
sonnet of the transport trains and am
cate machinery of modern warfare
must be taught its place and trained to
coordinate TO form great fighting
machine.
Secretary Baker said yesterday that
many problems involved in raising or
ganizing and training the new army
could not be solved until actual cases
were presented. He said it now seemed
unlikely that the entire 100000 or
more men who will be liable for duty
In the conscriptive forces could be en-
rolled. physically examined and other
wise passed upon for exemptions before
nf 70 ivaer hA. 49,.
gan.
Favors Jury Wheel System.
Mr.. Baker is inclined to favor the
jury wheel system of choosing the men
TO be called first. When any township
is called upon for its quota to fill the
hrst 100000 increment the names Of all
of its citizens previously registered for
military duty would be placed in the
jury wheel and the proper number
drawn. Examination of that number
would then be carried out, and enough
additional names drawn to fill IN the
quota. with provision made for exemp-
tions.
The Secretary indicated that assapa
Of the draft bill would be followed by
further vigorous efforts to stimulate
voluntary recruiting in the regular
army and National Guard. President
Wilson may issue a proclamation call
ing for 100000 or more volunteers for
these branches of the service Mr.. Baker
made II plain that the War Department
does not plan to apply the draft 10 fiji
up the regular and guard forces until
the supply of volunteers has been ex-
hausted
Draft Call in Month.
Within month after enactment Of
the bill the Secretary expects TO SET
the registration date for the conscrip
tive forces. A proclamation viii he
issued notifying all men affected 10
appear at the registration places The
election machinery of each community
viii be used 10 facilitate registration
and the police forces will be employed
10 bring in those who fail to appear
voluntarily
Exemption boards will be localized
to the greatest possible extent, as Mr.
Baker desires to get the benefit of
neighborhood sentiment and neiehbor-
hood knowledge in carrying out this
work. The Importance of man in
his civilian occupation is well known
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