The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1918-09-13
COLLEGE MEN HAVE.
CONFERENCE WITH
SECRETARY BAKER

washington, ID. C.--Uur Central
Committee OF College Men, which WAS \
largely responsible for our first camp
for training officers at Fort Des
Moines, was received by Secretary Of
War Baker at the State, War and
Navy Building, recently, and some
rather startling disclosures resulted
from the conference.
Only 20 Per Cent. to Fight
The printed report Of the Commit
tee to the Secretary of War shows
that only about 20 per cent. Of our
draftees are trained to fight, while the
remainder are put in non-combatant
divisions:
"rhe present authorized comhatant
units tcoloredl do not more than COM
plete the full divisional strength of
the 92nd and o3rd divisions, (maxi-
mum, number, 56,0o0). $4,000 were
called into the service up to June 23rd
and 10000 since that date, making
total Of 3ll,30a. The proportion Of
|non-combatant to combatant troops
now is, therefore 80 to l."
II was also asked by the committee
that the War Department live up TO
its policy Of offering eolored troops
with colored company officers.
$500 Officers Short
"F'rom $4,000 to 10000 draftees
(colored) were IN camp, July Slst;
Constituting from $50 10 $40 COM
paniea (reckoning $50 to company.
With one captain, three first and two
second lieutenants To d company from
| ] $50 to 1920 officers of the grade
stated will be required for this con-
ltingent alone.
"la) There are from 100 to 150
commissioned officer (colored) now
available III this country-~for the
most part, second lieutenants lately
commissioned from Officer Candi-
dates.
"{bl There are no 'oflieer-Candi-
ST
! "(cl There are at present only Sg8
linen leolored' In training III officer
draining schools lInfantry 500,
Camp Dodge; Artillery ab. carnl Iay-
ilor),s
"Were all of these Student Officers
to be commissioned, the maximum
lnumbcr of officers, then available
would be 5aS.
1 "The above stated facts show that;
| Il. Only IL to 2b companies can
be oiiieefed by the commissioned Off.
leers now available.
"2. Were all the Student 0fficers'
lnow in training to be commissioned
There would only be 3Ss officers ad-
litional, and these exclusively Of the
grade Of second lieutenant.
i %. There is, therefore, an imme-
Hate shortage oil l,i50 company Oili-
rers Of which the greatest lack Is in
The grades Of captain and first lieu
tenant; and prospective shortage Of
about the same number for the next
draft contingent; $4,000 Of whom
iwere called, August 9Th.
1T is evident that the requisite
number of officers for the troops now
assembled and assembling cannot be
supplied from the present resources;
Aelefofe some exceptional plan (an-
,ther special training camp Of larger
quotas for O. T. C.'s) must be put In
stfect in order that the announced
iplicy Of the War Department be car
ried out"
Doctors Held Inactive
According to the committee colored
j troops are being served by white dem
lists in the camps and in France,
/ while ut home l20 doctors of dentistry
J ready to work, are commissioned, but
kept on the inactive list. 1t was un-
ierstood that the reason given is that
| The department does not find it "prac-
! ticableN TO have colored dental officers
| md white officers of the line in the
, same regiment. Reference was also
! made in the report to the fact that de-
spife the shortage in physicians to do
the sanitary work in the camps and
back at home, medical doctors are be-
i ing drafted and sent into the canton
E lments along with other draftees.
! Mention was made of Doctors Car
/ michael and Burton, Of Washington,
{ and Doctor Boley Of Baltimore. The
+ following recommendation was made
i to the Secretary Of War:
n "Fhat the practicing medical and
dental men, and graduating members
Iof the Medical and Dental Enlisted
Reserve Corps, now compelled 10
serve ais enlisted men, be granted
commissions men Of these profess
sions.'
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