The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-05-14
5000 Men Join
Army Weekly

portunities aside from fatigue duty,
| drill. guard duty and bunk fatigue
In the new army" men in all branches
of the service not in the field have op-
pOrtunity to learn trades Of their own
selection.
| Following rehabilitation. when
thousands of men chose TO remain In
the service. few recruits were obtained
by recruiting depots. The recruiting
service Overlapped to some extent, par
ties sent ont by regiments and divi-
sions allocated to certain states COM
petiEg with established recruiting sta
lions. Then the new system of vOca-
tiOnal training was instituted. followed
by a drive for recruits beginning the
middle of last January, and the re-
-rruiting service was properly co-ordi-
mated.
EniStments rose from 800 for the
week ending January "a TO $500 ac-
ceptances weekly the latter part Of
March. At prerent one-fhird of the
army may he enlisted for one year,
about $1,000 men. Add TO this $4,000
three-year enlistments expiring annu-
ally and the totalynumber of men leav-
ing the service annually is 10000. fig
uring on the authorized strength of
PA. 900 under the national defense act.
The present rate of enlistment should
yield $4,000 annually, surplus of
5000 over expiring enlistments.
1.-THE campaign begun January 10 of
this year has been successful i'm every
respect" said Maj. Samuel A. Green
well of the recruiting publicity bureau,
which sends out recruiting leaflets to
all army recruiting stations. ''The
personal contact work of the general
recruiting service and the parties sent
out by allocated organizations followed
the same Instructions. They did not
beg for recruits. they did not offer>to
send men around the world on aCOok's
tour, and they did not tell prospective
recruits they would he fought for by
eager employers offering fabulous sal
aries. They received Imperative or
ders that under no circumstances must
they 'oversell' the armys attractions
to obtain a recruit they were told that
the army wanted very high class of
young men. men who would appreci-
ate and take advantage of the training |
and at the same time make the kind
of soldiers that should represent our
country.
AT the beginning of the campaign |
many civilian organizations offered |
their assistance. Chambers of COM
merce, Rotary clubs, American Legion |
posts. Veterans of Foreign Wars, min |
listers associations and others did val |
RI Tn, min
where their own members and officers !
of the recruiting service explained the |
plans for the new army. Governors
and mayors issued prOclamatiOns call |
ing attention to army activities in their
states and cities. and in many cases
set aside special dates as Army
weeks"
Many branches OF the service are
over their authorized strength. pend
ing possible increase by congressional
action. The motor transport corps
the need Of which was demonstrated
in the war. IS 100 per cent above au-
thorized strength. Chemical warfare
Id per cent. medical department $50
per cent. ~quartermaster corps 1f2 +
per cent. and signal corps 126 per cent.
Offsetting this surplus. the infantry Is
,ut 75 per cent of authorized strength,
.avalry 81 per cent. field artillery II
,er cent and coast artillery 80 per
'ent.
Strength Of Combat Units.
Restoration of the army TO a peace
ime basis shows many apparent diff
'erences in the strength of combat
,uifS ouch &c Infantry rouirooptc The /,
NATIONAL defense act provides for c. in ]
antry regiments. including the Porto
eican~ regiment. totaling 5000 men.
IN average of 1850 TO the regiment
During the war an infantry regiment :
numbered over 5000 men. and some
Infantry regiments. because OF the 9