Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-02
NO DEMOT|ONS FOR
DELAWARE TROOPS
Colonel Reed Says "Non- CONS
Will Not Lose Honors
They Have Won.
spc,4., Corrxpondcncc Of Every Evening


special Correspondence Of Every Evening
Camp Dix. n. j., Feb. opportunity
Is extended to Camp Dix National Army
men to win scholarships at West Point
in orders issued by Major General Scott
Yesterday, in line with the War De-
partment's policy to put the new army
On an equal footing in every way with
the National Guard and regular army.
Like men in the other branches, how
ever. the candidates must have served
at least a year in the army and as the
National Army is several months less than
g wear old. only those who hcav had
previous experience will he given the
opportunity of attending the Military
Academy this year.
Reyimental commanders are instruct
ed TO pick suitable number OF candi-
dates from their commands TO report
for examination on March 10. Candi-
dates must ne unmarried and between
10 and - wears Of AGE, and as no men
are drafted under 81, this will he the MIMI
mum age for selection here. The success
full candidates will be notified oil their
selection on June IA.
The health situation in respect TO
measles continues to Improve and bright,
ems the prospect Of lifting the quarantine
within few days. Another low-record
score WAS reported yesterday. with Is
csse< of real measles and 81 cases OF
liberty measles. The regulations that have
confined the men TO camp for period OF
three weeks are becoming irksome, and
throughout the camp privates and non
sorns" are eagerly awaiting the raising OF
the bar. that will permit them to spend An
occasional weekend at home, or at
4 IL Nf
by q visit to some of the nearby cities
Officers and men desiring passes for
ertended STAYS out OF camp hereafter
will have to get the approval OF their
brigade as well IS regimentsl command
err under orders issued by headquarters
thi. afternoon. The applications for
,ae<es heretofore have come to division
besdouarters direct from regimental Off
crrB
WILL RETAIN THEIR STRIPES.
There will be no denotions OF nom
commissioned officers Of the 307th DIvi-
sion Machine Gun Battalion, who have
been transferred 10 the new pioneer
regiment Of infantry, composed chiefly
of the First Delaware National Guard.
brought here from Camp Mcclellan.
This announcement, made yesterday by
pionecY unit, set st rest various r,imors
that the fine body OF 'non-coms" OF The
battalion were 70 lose tho stripes won
bv their work under Major Beck and st
once smoothed over situation that
promised 70 provoke ill-fccling between
The Nationals and the Guardsmen.
Colonel Reed said the men from the
machine gun battalion had been wei
coined TO the new regiment with fuil
spr,rcciation OF their good records and
that every non-commIssioned othcer on
the outfit would be given position OF
equal rank in the new unit. There Is
the bat Of fellowship among the Della
ware bovr. whether they came into the
service through the Guard or the draft,
&ad Anv stterlpt TO draw .ine or dis
sinction between the men of the two
former branches Of the service Will be
punished as q breach of morale
Army officers here still are in the dark
as "a the date for calling in the new draft
ruota. While headquarters hiss been daily
expecting some announcement that would
signify sn esrly call for the thousands OF
men in New York. New Jersey and Della
vsre who are waiting summons 70 duty,
no orders hsd come through up to this
afternoon indicating that the first as
ACT4fnHlh pt chtltClc4 tftH OSi
February Is, the date long regarded
by resmental commanders as the time
when they could begin filing up the
ranks of companies depleted by transfers
70 other divisions Buildings and equip
rnent have been ready for the new men for
nearly month.
AUTOMATIC RIFLES COMING.
Demonstrated value Of automatic rifles
II the front is 70 result in the equipment
cf infantry regiments here with many of
these modern wea pons. Greater importance
than ever before is attached 70 the plans
for teaching soldiers the handling Of these
guns before they reach France, and the
pick of officers OF the infantry brigades
have bcen summoned to q school OF in
Ss-uction in the sutomatics, opening next
Mondsv. These officers Will study the
guns, tear them apart, reassemhlc them
and r-pair broken parts in order that they
their men this same work. The course
will LEAD up 10 the actual handling OF the
suns before moving targets.
MANY officers who have brought their
ssmiheS to homes II towns near Camp
DIX .nd have been IN the habit of spend
Yac the nights at their own flresides are
affected bv an order from General Scott
directing that al officers sleep In camp al
night. except when arrangements for home
leave are made with their superiors.
The Camp Dix relay team, which
made fine showing in the Melrose ath-
letic games at New York last week, left
to-day 20 compete at Boston against
Camp Devens and the Boston Navy
Yard teams tomorrow. Because Of ex-
aminations in the officers training school
tomorrow, Berry, the University OF
Pennsyivania star, was unable 70 &C
company the party. The team is com
posed OF Lieutenant o. C. Anderson, OF
the 311th; Lieutenant William Ander-
son, Of the depot brigade; Lieutenant
G. NJ Finch, of the 3I1th; Lieutenant
william Kelly, OF the 31lth and Lieu.
tenant L. Howard, Of the 3l2th. 'By'
Walton, war commission athletic direc-
tor, is managing the team.