Evening journal., 1918-02-02
CAMP DIX MEN GET
TO CO TO west POINT
Delawareans in a Machine
Gun Battalion Will Not
Lose Stripes by Transfer
NON.COMS TO
RETAIN THEIR RANKS

/ Special TO THE EVENING JOURNAL.
CAMP DIX, n. j., Feb. 2-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
Departments policy to put the new
army on an equal footing in every
way with the National Guard and regu-
lar army. Like men in the other branch
es, however, the candidates must have
served at least a year In the army and.
I as the National Army IS several months
less than a year old, only those who
have had previous experience will be
given the opportunity Of attending the
Military Academy this year.
Regimental commanders are instruct
ed TO pick a suitable number Of candi-
dates from their commands to report
for examination on March 70 Cand-
dates must be unmarried and between
10 and % years Of age. and, as no men
are drafted under p, this will be the
minimum age for selection here The
successful candidates Will be notified OF
their selection on June a.
The health situation in respect to
measles continues 10 improve and
brightens the prospect Of lifting the
quar- antne within a few days. Another
low-rec0rd score was reported yester-
day. with IS cases of real measles and 81
cases Of liberty measles The regiila-
tions that have confined the mcR 10
camp for a period Of three weeks are
becoming irksome, and throughout the
camp privates and "non-coms" are
eagerly awaiting the raising OF the
bars that will permit them to spend an
occasional weekend at home or at
least break the monotony Of camb life
by visit TO some Of the nearby cities.
pnlcers and men desiring passes for
extended stays out Of camp hereafter
will have TO get the approval OF their
brigade as well as regimental command
crs under orders issued by Headquarters
yesterday afternoon. The applications
for passes heretofore have come 10
division headquarters direct from regi-
mental officers.
There viii be no demotions Of nom
comm 'ssioned officers Of the 3l7th Dvi-
sion Machine Gun Battalion, who,have
been transferred 20 the new pioneer
regiment Of infantry, composed chiefly
OF the ist Delaware National Guard.
brought here from Camp Mcclellan.
This announcement, made by Colonel
j. Warner Reed, commanding the pio-
neer unit, set at rest various rumors
that the fine body Of "non-coms" Of the
battalion were to lose the stripes won
by their work under Major Beck and at
once smoothed over a situation that
promised to provoke ill-feeling between
the Nationals and the Guardsmen.
Colonel Reed said his men from the
machine gun battalion had been well
coined to the new regiment with full
appreciation Of their good records and
that every non-cOmmissioned ofilcer on
The outfit would be given position Of
equal rank In the new unit There is
the best OF fellowship among the Della
ware boys, whether they come into the
service through the Guard or the draft
and any attempt TO draw. a line or diss
tinction between the men OF the two
former branches Of the service will DE
punished as a breach of morale.
Army officers here stll are In the
dark as 10 The data calling in the
new draft quota While headqlarters
has been da ly expecting SOME an
nouncemcnt that would signify an carly
call for the thousands Of men in New
J prk, New Jersey and Delaware who
are waiting a summons 90 duty no
orders had come through mp TO yester-
day afternoon indicat ng that the FIRST
assignments might be expected even on
February iJ, the date long regarded
by rcgimental commanders rs the time
when they could hagn filing up the
ranls of companies depleted by trans
fers to other divisions Buildings and
have been ready for the new
men for nearly month
Demonstrated value of automatic rifles
at tho front is TO result IN the enlip-
ment of infantry regiments here with
many Of these modern weapons. Great
er importance than ever before Is at
tached to the plans for teaching sol
diers the handling Of these guns be-
fore they reach France. and the pick
Of officers Of the infantry brigades have
been summoned TO a school of instruc.
ton in the automatics, opening next
Monday. These officers will study fha
guns, tear them apart, rcassemble them
and repair broken parts in order that
they may be thoroughly efficient in
teaching their men this same work Tho
course will lead up to the actual hand
Ing Of the guns before moving tar
gets.