The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-07-10
TROOPS
DRAFTED INTO
U. $ SERVICE
National Gu@d Made Avail
able for Duty in France
NEXT WEEK
Draft Held Up BY Delay in Returning
Numbered Cards from Separate
States.

Washington, July 9.-The last step
necessary to make the entire National
Guard available for duty in France was
taken today by President Wilson with
the issue of a proclamation drafting
the state troops into the army of the
United States on August 5.
To make certain that the purpose of
the national defense act is carried out,
the proclamation also specifically de.
clares the men drafted to be discharg.
ed from the old militia status on that
date. In that way the constitutional
restraint upon use Of militia outside
the country is avoided and the way
paved for sending the regiments to the
European front
Coincidentally it developed today
that the war department had fixed next
week as the time for the selectiye
draft--probably next Tuesday or We'd
nesday Under new plans it is likely
100000 men will be drawn, $4,000
to be called to the colors at once.
Prior TO the application Of the draft
to the guard regiments in the north
ern and eastern section of the coun-
try are called into the federal service
as national guardsmen in two incre-
ments, to be moblisad on July 10 and
20 Many units already are federeal-
ICED and presumably they will be mob
ilized with the other troops from their
states. The guard from the other
states will be modified on the day of
the draft The arrangement was nee
essary to provide for movement of the
regiments south to their concentration
camps without congestion, and TO the
same end the division of states into
these increments was revised from the
original schedule.
The operative date OF the draft was
delayed until August 3. so that all regi'
| ments can be taken into the army sim
| ultaneously.
Fourteen camp sites for the sixteen
| tactical divisions into which the guard
will be organized for war purposes
have already been selected and the
militia bureau is preparing the railway
| routing OF the troops TO the camps
Seven OF the sites are in the southeas
tern department, five in the southern
| and two in the western. The two 9th
ers will be in the southeastern depart
| ment and until they are approved, as
1 signment of regiments to camps and
| divisions cannot be fully worked out
The only two divisions positively as
signed, the Nineteenth. including the
California guard, which will 80 tC
Linda Vista, Cal, and the Twentieth
including Oregon Washington and 9th
er states in the northwest which vii
90 to Palo Alto, Cal
Plans of the war department to star
the draft next week Tuesday or Wed
lnesday. indicate arrangements are rap
idly being whipped into shape. These
other things also became known:
| Probably 100000 men will b'
drawn.
| OF these, 6S7OOO will be called to tn,
colors Immediately. The others viii
be subject to call when needed Th'
war department believes that by thi
| plan much future work can be avoided
| Sixteen states and the District o
Columbia had completed their number
ing of registration cards today, ha,
sent duplicate cards to the war depart
ment and were ready for the draft
The states are Arizona, Connecticut
Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine
Montana. Nebraska, New Virginia AM
| Wisconsin.
Provost Marshal General Crowde
} announced that appeals from the dec
, sions of local boards in eXamptio
cases must be made in writing accom-
panied by afildavits. Men arguin
T for exemption will not be allowed t
appear in person before the appellat
boards.
, Delay in return OF numbered card
( | from the states alone is holding up IN
, draft. Especially is this true Of tn
], l larger centerS OF population, suCh Y
5 | New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania
I No complete returns have been r.
( ceived from any Of these states, wher
:, because Of the great mass of work
be done, only slow progress is bein
k made.
@ Provost Marshal General Crowd'
s today expressed his belief all return
c would be made by Friday. He said
+. would not be possible at this time
G make public any of the preparation
/. which are being made for the actu
e ceremony of the draft.
h "The time and manner must rema
# mysteries for while YET said Gle
I. l eral Crowder They will be mat
public as soon as possible"