The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-03-07
Large Number to Fill Up the
Present Army and Com
plete the Organization
NO NEW DIVISIONS
WILL BE CREATED
Last Increment of First Draft, Now in
Process of Mobilization, Totallng
About 10000, to Regular and National
Guard Divisions.

WASHINGTON, March while a
large number of men will be called out
during the present year TO fill up the
army and complete its organization,
war department plans do not call for
the creation of any additional divisions
in 1918. The announcement concerning
the second draft expected soon from
Provost Marshal General Crowder may
outline the manner in which the fewer
than 900, 600 men-probably not much
in excess of s00,000-are to be sum
moned gradually during the year to
complete the existing organizations.
Delay in the announcement as to the
next draft is understood to be due to
uncertainty as to which method of al
lotting quotas to the states Is to be
followed The senate has passed and
the house military committee has ia
vorably reported an amendment to She
law to base the quota on the number
of men in class one, instead of upon
the total registration of a state. This
change is regarded as certain to be
made, but, to avoid further delay,
schedules Of allotments under both sys-
| TENS have been prepared at the pro
vost marehal general 5 office, ready to
! 90 out as soon as final action is taken
| As 10 the date of the second draft,
members of congress from agricultural
sections have been practically assured
that no withdrawal of men from evil
! life was contemplated which would en-
L. I. /.
Gated, however, that relatively small
number of men must be called to the
colors prior to June !. and that process
may start in April, when equipment
clothing and quarters Will be available
The men are needed to fill up to full
strength divisions slated for early de
parture TO Europe and also for field
army and corps troops not attached i
divisions. The replacement detaeh
ments also must go forward at an &C
celebrating rate. since American troop
are now actually holding sector o.
the French front and men are beins
killed or wounded in action every day
> The competition of the full program
of the war department, without Great
= ing am additional divisions, probabl,
will absorb in the neighborhood o
/ soc, 900 men, The extent to which /
5 has been necessary to increase artil
= lery quotas throughout the army an
| TO add special units Of all sorts ha
surprised every officer and accounts -
@ the existing shortages to a large e.
n tent
= The number of replacement troop
T. necessary is worked out iii scient!f
way, based on experience al the from
q \ fixed percentage for each arm Of til
: service is established. Among til
II -combatant arms this is very SINAI
4 but ii is quite high among front In
5 troops. While official figures are az
available. ii is estimated that som
:. thing more than 100000 will be nece
= sary for the 1918 program, maxim
% 10000 necessary to call out durir
4 this year.
!. The last increments of the first ORA
!. now in process of mobilization, totalil
about 1000 men. are being used to /
regular and National Guard division
shown by their efficiency reports to
available for early duty abroad. Scr
of the men are being used also to I
o. up the special forces although an al,
tional source of supply for highly $
cializcd technical units is being rs
TX continuously. This is by special draf
eli of particularly qualified men of I
er trades necessary. Orders were issu
N, toda.- to local boards calling for )
On artisans Of various sorts for nonco
ad Blatant units.
Even with all of the first draft m
iki modified, there are considerable dc
ch ciencies among the national army a
er- some of the National Guard divisio
icy The first purpose of the second DR.;
ch will be to make up this shortage.
nc.