Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-27

i trust 1 may Uo fav0Tea VIZ"
prompt response 70 this letter AND
that disclaimer may be imnde that
win be full and convincing or Nh Aa-
nsiasAon that will be full and frank.
rhs enclosed clipping from the
Wilmington. Delaware, nvsrv Eve
ntna shows That the public II taking
nottos Of the attitude nj the war de-
partment toward the Fiftysn'nth Del
nware Pioneer Regiment.
Very rnesrsiy.
ALBERT v. POLK.
SHoretary Bakers Reply
War Department, Washington. Aug
ust -, 1915.
Ny Dear Mr.. Polk: havo the hon.
or 10 AOknowiedxs receipt Of your
letter Of August seventh. relative to
tho seth Pioneer Infantry Regiment
which u composed largely Of men be.
longing 10 the First Delaware, and
In rvply thereto l beg to inform you
that tho following are tho facts In
tho caaa:
When tho 2pth division was being
formed tho First Delaware was
merged with other National Guard
Regiments to form tho it<th Infnn-
try. In view OF the fact that this
ieit kAo btAte VI
an Identified unit OF distinctivsly Del
aware troops. and for historical and
traditional reasons this wns reRarde.
as unfortunate by the people OF Della
ware and by the members of the old
First Delaware Regiment. and for the
further reason that the Legislation pro-
vidinx for the increase In the military
esta blish ment directed the war de-
| - Il.
serve the identity of historical units,
the President directed that all of the
former members of the First Dela-
ware be withdrawn from the 1i4th In
| fantry and sent to Camp DIX. New
Jersey. to form a Pioneer Infantry
Regiment. This was done, the regi-
| ment being given the number bB.
II was realized at the time that this
action would necessarily delay the
| opportunity for the Delaware men to
go abroad. because their Pioneer ReNi-
| ment would have to be filled up to
war strength. and would take It's
place in a different part of the mill
| tary program. on July Is, 1918, the
| commanding general at Camp Bia
was directed to fill the seth Pioneer
| Regiment. This has now been done
and the regiment Is at full strength.
With regard to the question OF offi-
GERS not being allowed to purchase
| uniforms from the camp uuartermas
ter. l am Informed that this was a
| temporary necessity which applied
| TO the officers of other organizations
| as well. and was not discrimination
| against the 5eth Pioneers.
] regret very much that constitu-
| ents of yours or anybody else have
! stated that | have no interest in the
Delaware Regiment. and. of course. I
have not called them any such name
as is quoted in your letter
The fact is that | have been very
much interested in this particular reg
! iment, exerting myself to the utmost
| TO preserve it's historic unity, and I
| am now anxious to give il an early
| opportunity for that service at the
| front whicn is the laudable ambition
i OF all soldiers in the army of the
| United States. | did not resent and
/ | do not resent the action taken by
the Delaware Senators and yourself
| leading 10 the reassembling OF the
! First Delaware. as | regard the senti-
ment in the state of Delaware as most
| natural under the circumstances
felt at the time that il would neces-
sarilv postpone the opportunity oi
| these men for service 10 reorganizt
| them out OF the 114th Regiment, and
that we would have to find a place
! out OF the normal scheme of the
military program to fit them in Il
| has taken more time than I antici pat.
cd to accomplish this, but am con,
| fident in my assurance to you tha'
| there has been no prejudice or disfa.
! vor toward either the state of Della
ware, it's legislative representatives OF
these Delaware soldiers involved ir
! the matter
Very truly yours.
NEWTON d. BAKER
Secretary of Wa