Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-07-16

Augusta House, Thursday
Evening i, s.t
"It will devolve upon you young
men who have completed your Citi-
zens Military Training Camp courses
and accept commissions in the Or
ganized Reserve to maintain an ade-
quate national defense for your coun-
try, after the present veteran officers
have passed on" said Colonel Henry
G. Boyer, of Portland, commanding
officer of the 30Srd Regiment, Infan-
try Reserve, speaking to the candi-
dates from kennebec county who will
attend the c. NJ. T. c. during the
present summer. at banquet session
of the Kennebec County Reserve Of
flcers Association. held Thursday
evening at the Augusta House.
The candidates who have been &C
cepted for the thirty days period Of
training in the basic, or white. red or
blue courses. were the special guests
of the Reserve Association last eve
ming, and of the 81 who have been al
located to camps, nearly thirty were
present. Kennebec countys quota
this year was set at 81, and this num-
Der has already been exceeded with
prospect of others to be accepted on
the state quota before the training
period starts at Fort Mckinley, Port
land Harbor on August 2.
Besides Col. Boyer, other speakers
at the enjoyable session Of last We
ming were Major NJ. H. Shute, L. S.
A., Brigadier General Albert Green
law, of Augusta. commanding the
seth Infantry Brigade. Maine Nation
al Guard: Colonel Francis H. Farnum
of Augusta, commanding the 3SGth
Reliment, Infantry Reserve, and sew
eral of the embryo officers. represent
ing different sections of the county.
Col. John G. Towne, OF Waterville,
president of the Kennebec County
Reserve Officers Association presided
at the session and program following
the supper.
The recruiting of the Kennebec
quota for the c. NJ. IT. c. has been
directed by Lieutenant Fred D. Nc
Alary of Waterville as chairman for
the county. and the announcement
that Kennebec had gone over the top
Oli 10 HuOta W DIS oPpl1UuSu NHtHd
siastically.
Explains National Defense
Colonel Boyer in his remarks out
lined the scheme of national defense
| under the act of Congress of 1920
and explained the part which the
Organized Reserve has in this plan.
He described the organization of the
country into nine Corps Areas, with
New England composing the First
Corps Area. There are one regular.
two national guard and three re-
serve divisions allocated to this
corps area, and the regiments which
the Maine c. NJ. T. c. student SOL
diers will be assigned TO are part of
the 18th Corps.
The speaker told the young men
something of what their camp life
and training this summer will de-
mand, and also urged them to follow
the course through and qualify for
commissions in the reserve.
Need for Reserve Officers
Major Shute Of the regular army
told the candidates that there was no
compulsion on their part either in
continuing their courses for the four
years or in accepting commissions
upon completion, but he gave some
interesting figures which were in eX-
PLANTATION of the need for the G.. NJ.
7. c.
In the event that this nation be-
came involved in war" said the
army officer, 1--WE should be faced
with the necessity of placing six
armies in the field. This would call
for an officer personnel of about
216,0O0. At the present time there
are approximately $4,000 Reserve
officers and of this number about
$4,000 are doing double duty, that
is are serving as National Guard
officers. so it is evident that we must
train the young men as feeders to
the reserve. Last year from various
causes we lost some $4,000 officers,
while from both the Reserve officers
Training Corps of the colleges and
from the Citizens Military Training
Camps we gained but 1000.
Speaks of National Guard
BriSadier General GreenlaW spoke
particularly of the National Guard
and in regard to the summer tour of
duty of the Maine citizen soldiers
which will be held at Camp Keyes,
this city, starting on July q, he in
vited the Reserve Officers and the
young men of the c. NJ. T. C, to
visit that camp where they would be
given a cordial receptios.
Speaking for the parents of the
young men who will go to the c. NJ.
It. c. camps this summer from Kenne-
bee county, Harry Harmon of Water
VILE mentioned the interest of the pa
rents in the training which the boys
will receive and declared his pleasure
that his son had been accepted as q
candidate.
Russell w. Loud of Waterville who
will go to the C. NJ. r. c. camp for his
second year course in Augusta, de-
clared his intention of continuing
through the four years and his antici-
patton of qualifying for a commission
in the reserve. Wallace F. Witham of
Clinton and Arthur D. Simpson of
North Vassalboro spoke briefly for the
group of kennebec county young men
who will enter upon training in the
basic course this summer.
Most of those from this county to
be accepted for training will go to
Fort Mckinley, Portland Harbor, for
the month of August, but there are at
the present time three students at Fort
Adams, New York, and several will
attend the camp at Fort Ethan Allen.
Vermont.
Kennebec Candidates
The list from this county is as fol-
lows: Everett r. Drummond. Water
Vile; Russell W. Loud, Waterville;
Howard Bodwell, Augusta; Ralph p.
Stilphen, Winthrop; Oscar r. Matson,
Clinton; Philip n. Millett, Oakland;
Eearle r. Sherman, Clinton: Charlie
r. Bridges. Waterville: Floyd NJ. Las
sell, Clinton; Laurence F. Decker,
Clinton; Charles Z. Harmon, Water
vile; John H Sawyer. Waterville;
George s. laisdell Gardiner. Richard