Evening journal., 1918-07-23
MAY INQUIRE ABOUT
Delaware SOLDIERS
Complaints Received at
Washington Hint at War
Dept. Discriu ination
FULL EQUIPMENT
NOW FOR REGIMENT

Now that the members OF the seth
Pioneer (Delaware) Regiment at Camp
Dix have received their complete equip
ment, they are wondering whether they
are to be moved soon. The men a few
days ago received wrap legglngs, usual
ly the last equipment issued to sol
diers before they are sent overseas.
A special to the Philadelphia North
American from Washington today says
Discrimination by war department
officials, which has resulted In keeping
from duty overseas more than 1900 Del
aware soldiers for a long period Of
months, is charged by citizens OF Della
ware, who are vainly striving to learn
why the 59th Pioneer regiment has not
been brought to full strength by addi-
tion OF drafted men from their State
Communications are being sent TO leg
islators here. and efforts will be made
10 learn from Secretary Baker whether
the regiment is TO languish in innocuous
desuetude at Camp Dix for the remand
er Of the war. while officials in the war
department. disregarding the intention
with regard TO the detachment which,
II is declared. President Wilson has ex-
use by the country.
Enough Delaware men have been
drafted to III the reg. .-nent and TO make
possible its dispatch overseas. Those
interested recall that the President is
sued an executive order that the regi-
ment be completed with ~ ftees. after
agitation at the capital resu,Nd in hav-
ing the regiment reorganized from
among the army divisions into which
1t was sent. after being broken up
nearly year ago.
II official favoritism and departmental
jealously IS not responsible for the sit
uation, 1t Is though In Delaware that
a ponderable amount OF imcompetency
is the only other cause which can be
keeping inactive a regiment which, II
is declared, by every test that has been
made Of II, IS organized and trained TO
a degree Of efficiency. The spirit Of the
men, wh.c was keen for service over
seas and filled with the enthusiasm re-
sulting from their opportunity, or
their expected opportunity, 10 serve
their country, has been considerably
dampened and aggravated by a series Of
orders and alleged determinations.
"There is no doubt that the regiment |
is being Disseminated against in many
ways. But It has been done. and is
being done in such a way that 1t Is
hard to prove" IS the assertion made |
by one correspondent who has written 1
to the capital in an effort TO have some
action taken.
1T is charged that for long period
the regiment was deprived Of its arms
that, while some drafted men have been
added 60 II. they have been later re-
that until a recent date the Off /
GERS OF the regiment were denied the |
privilege OF buying uniforms from the l
camp quartermaster at Dix. That, as .
The regiment is not a member OF the di-
vision, its officers were not allowed to
attend the division schools For a time
such as these, 70 Is
'harged, prevented the regiment from
making the progress It should and
0uld. Conditions recently have been
bettered. Some Of the facts
IS set forth in a document sent to an
1lcial here who has been asked to
ring the matter to the attention Of /.
hose in authority, are said to be as
ollows: !
"'The regiment left Camp Mcclellan {
anuary 70 with 1865 men, After ar {
lval at Camp Dix there were 293 men {
4 the Delaware draft quota assigned
o Il. This was all the men it received {
Iut Of the 1908 Delaware men Of the
lrst draft. Three hundred and eight
delaware men drafted in March were
rot sent TO Camp Dix, but TO Ogle-
horpe, so it received none OF them. On
April 4, $40 men were drafted from
Delaware and sent to Camp Dix. These
we're attached to the Delaware regi-
ment. but not permanently The war
department ordered these men sent to
The Seventy-eighth division, and. as the
regiment is not a part OF this division,
these Delaware men will be sent TO /
other regiments made up OF Pennsyl- !