The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-06
NATIONAL GUARD RECRUITING MEN
 FOR MCCLELLAN
Seventy Have |. Already ]. Signified Intention Of
 Attending

'l Officers of the local recruiting sta {. ton of the Alabama national guard are making drive for recruits to accom- pany the Birmingham units to the am nual two weeks summer training camp < at Camp Mcclellan, AnnisJpn. which commences August 11.s Capt. R. F. Walthour, at the armorys old postoffice building, who is in charges of the drive, is bending every effort to bring to the attention of men of military age of Bir- : mingham the advantage of joining the organization. Already. 70 additional &amen have signified @eir; intention of : enrolling. i:#.E
 The summer session this year at Mcclellan is, according to Captain WaIthour, to be especially attractive. : Every morning of the two weeks will be devoted to military exercises and maneuvers, while the afternoons will be set aside for sports, which will in clude swimming, baseball and the like. In addition polo ponies will be avail able. for those who play. A polo team will be a permanent feature if interest warrants it's maintenance, it was said. Part Of Army
 The national guard, it was explained, is a part of the United States army by the national defense act of 1920, and members of the guard units are paid according to army standards. Those who attend the camp will be paid from one to seven dollars a day, depending on rank. Furthermore, attendance at 4. the weekly hour and half drill held throughout the year at the arInory is counted by the government as a days work, and those who attend these drills are given a remuneration of from one to seven dollars a day. Figures com piled from this date show that pri- = vate's pay in the national guard rep resents the return from m investment of $937.50 at 8 per cent. A captains pay represents the return on $9,075 in vestedlaf per cent.
 Enljstmehts may be in the infantry, cavalry, and aviation branches, it was said. Units of the Alabama national guard stationed at Birmingham in (which volunteers are sought are the headquarters company of the 167th regiment, Ensley, and the following other companies of the 167th Company
 
 Company l., West End, Graymount, Thomas and Pratt City and Company M, .Northside, North Birmingham. In- glenook and Boyles; Birmingham Sabres, headquarters company of the Twenty-third calvary division; and the 106th Observation squadron. The ob- servation squadron, it was annouhced, will take their two weeks. of training. at Maxwell field, Montgomery, begin ming August 2.
 The average strength during the year of each company, it was said, is G5 men, and the present plans of Captain Walthour are to raise this to 90 men. The present strength of the Birming- ham units is 40 men and 21 officers.
 The Alabama guard has total per sonnel of about 3,500 mem
 Backed By Clubs
 The necessity uf having~d trained -ra~ tional guard and its. usefulness to the community, has been pointed out to the various business firms and industrial plants through the Chamber of Com merce, the Rotary club and such other organizations, all of which have heart fly indcrsed it, authorities said. Many of the companies employing men of ages from IS to 25 have gone so far as 1. to grant an extra two weeks leave with pay to employees who volunteered in the guard. Birmingham officers are gratified at the backing they are receiv- ing from citizens, and are confident that Birmingham units will make an excellent showing at the camp.
 "As matter of interest and pride to Alabamaians," Captain Walthour said, "the Alabama national guard is ranked second only to North Carolina in the recent honor rating by the United States government This is largely due to the cooperation of the citizens, and we expect to hold or else improve this record during the coming year if the support of the citizens is continued"