Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-18
SEEKS DRAFTMEN
IN SECOND QUOTA
FOR CAMP LOGAN
General Bell. Prairie Division Com.
mander. Asks authority to Re-
cruit From Seiectiyes.
OBJECT Is TO FILL THE GAPS
Special School for Commanders Starts
10 Train Them 10 Instruct the
Soldiers Under Them.

Especial TO The Argus).
Camp Logan. Texas. Feb lS.-Gen-
aral Bell has asked the war depart
ueut for autaor.t? 10 accept voluntary
cniisiments from 'ac ranks of the IL
.uo.s men subject TO the second draft
If the permission is granted, it is
believed long step can be taken to-
ward securing the 1000 men needed
to nil the division to its required war
strength. simultaneously he ordered
the organization of another new
school in the division for the pur-
pose Of Fastening the day when his
command will reach a state OF get
away" efficiency.
The primary purpose of the school
is to fit men to take charge OF the
5000 new men when they come. no
matter by what method they are Sc
cured and whip into shape so that
they will not prove too serious hand
leap to the more advanced portions Of
the division.
General Bell had secured unofficial
word that officers in other divisions
were going to do some recruiting on
their own account, and believes the
method practical. Also. he looks upon
ne proposition as one that would re
suit in his securing a better class OF
men than were sent to him from Hi
nois in the first draft. He expects
word from the war department today
or tomorrow.
General Bell stated that he had been
asked by Major ]. T. B. Jones. who is
now in Illinois, for authority to re-
cruit men for the division. Il can
get enough men for whole company
without any trouble at all Major
Jones is said to have informed diyi-
on headquarters They would be
good men, too, for Major Jones is an
expert when it comes to sizing up
he character and quality of men. If
he authority is given, steps probably
Eill be taken at once to afford the
men in Illinois who prefer to be with
he division from their own state to
get in at once. This method would
save much time and result in the di-
vision getting men who would not
have to be discharged later for ply
seal disability.
New Schools Started.
The special school for company
commanders will begin in earnest
Thursday morning. The officers have
teen at the rifle range for several
Gays. The special schedule to be
taken up will cover all the duties OF
al infantry officer.
Another school for non-commis-
stoned officers will also begin Thurs
day. 1t will be in charge of Captain
William H. Simpson. He will select
q men for the first school and after
they have taken the To-day course
each of them will become an instruc-
TOR in similar school for eight men
ach. In this way in a very short
Tine more than five hundred officers
will be trained as instructors for the
lew recruits expected to be received
aooner or later for the division.
The insurance record at Camp Lo-
gan is believed to have broken the
record of all army camps in the coun-
try. Reports up to noon Wednesday
indicated that the total for the camp
would exceed the s110,000,000 mark
Captain Turner is rounding up the
official figures and stated 1t would
he a day or two before final an
nouncement would be available.
General Bell was particularly we'll
pleased with the showing made by the
division and is confident Camp Logan
will at least be one Of the leaders il,
in fact, it is not ahead in the race
when the final results are known.
Beats 100 Per Cent.
They are doing lot of Boosting
about their 100 per cent organizations
in connection with the insurance cam
paign, but Captain NJ. B. Southwick of
Company c, One Hundred Twenty
fourth Machine Gun company, says
he has them all skinned a city block
To become 100 per cent organiza
ton, a company or other separate unit
in the division must have taken S10,-
900 for every man in the organization.
To-day we have just 129 officers and
we have sold exactly 1855 900 in war
insurance" said Captain Southwick in
his top sergearts tent yesterday aft
ernoon. Talk about your 100 per
cent organizations, ! guess that's go
ing some, isn't it?' and he leaned back
in a rather comfortable chair, gave
good pull at his pipe and the rings
curled up toward the top of the tent.
A sort Of beat it If you dare" ex
preston settled over his face and then
inquired how tine returns" were
coming in from other portions OF the
camp.
A little explanation will clear up
the matter Of how Captain Southwick
came to beat the 100 per cent organ
izations. He got busy on the insur-
ance early in the game. He then had
more members in his company than
he has now. Transfers brought his
strength from l55 down to 129. But
he did not accomplish his feat with
out hard work On Monday he had
u members who had not applied for
any insurance. Il thought l would
lose some Of them" he said yester-
day. but / had bully lot OF officers
who were as much interested in the
matter as | was and we turned the
trick | think after all General Be-!
IS TO be congratulated upon the man
ner in which he put the pep in the
men Of the division on the insurance