Evening star., 1941-02-25

the ordnance center at the Aber-
deem, Md, Proving Ground will be
ready March Is or soon after.
Delays in construction at the other
replacement centers were attributed
chiefly to adverse weather condi-
tions. In other instances it Is trace
able to some of the factors that held
up completion of Army housing
earlier this winter, causing necessary
postponement of some of the initial
induction dates for National Guard
units and selective service men.
officials are unable to say to what
extent the initiation of the replace
ment program may be disrupted by
encountered. Several of the GEN.
ters, it was believed, are unlikely to
be completed before June In most
instances the delays will be for no
more than a month.
One of two courses seems open to
the War Department, it was said
Either the start of the replacement
training program can be postponed
until all 21 centers are ready for oc-
cupancy, or the program may be
opened progressively. The latter
procedure may cause less delay, but
some confusion, as 1t would have a
staggering" effect on the training
for the next 100000 selective service
men.
officials were inclined to believe
that start would be made with
the first group of replacement CEN
ters ready by March Is.
The 81 replacement centers, rep
resenting all the arms and services,
are designed for a capacity of 214,-
900 men, including Is per cent for
officers and instructors Provisions
were made for about 24,000 colored
selectees. They are all being built
at existing camps and stations.
Seven on Schedule.
The seven on schedule and the
number of men planned for each
are Fort Belvoir, engineers. l0.500;
Camp Lee, Va, medical, 5000; Edge
wood Arsenal, chemical warfare,
1000; Fort Knox, KY. srmored,
5000; Fort Warren, Wyo.. quarter
master, 1000; Fort Sill, Okla. field
artillery, 5000. and Fort Riley, Kans.,
cavalry. 1000 At the Aberdeen
Proving Ground, which may or may
not be delayed, the facilities will
care for $500 men in the ordnance
branch.
One Of the longest delays will be
encountered in connection with the
replacement center at Fort Leonard
Wood, near Rollo, Mo. This is the
same Inflated engineer camp de-
layed more than any other, perhaps,
in the initial construction program
1t was planned first to be established
at Leon, Iowa, but after work started
the engineers found there was little
or no water, so it was moved to
Missouri.
One of the three Coast Artillery
replacement centerS is being built
at Camp Eustis, Va. near Norfolk
1t is designed for IA 800 men. Scarce
ly more than so per cent completed.
it is not due to open until around
June. The other Coast Artillery
centers, at Camp Wallace. Tex for
1900 men and at Camp Callan.
Calf, for $500 are we'll behind in
construction
None OF the Infantry replacement
centers, it was believed. will be ready
on schedule. They are at Camp
Croft, S. c.. for $500 men; Camp
Wheeler, Ga, 16,500 men: Camp
Wolters, Tex. $500, and Camp
Roberts, Calf, raised from 5000
to 81 900 men. Severe rains and
floods are said to have delayed prog
ress at the Texas camp.
The Camp Grant. Ill, center, for
1000 medical men, is another on the
delayed" list.
@. M. Center 10 Per Cent Complete.
The largest Quartermaster Corps
center, at Camp Lee, was said to be
slightly more than 10 per cent COM
plete at the present time. This can
tonment was originally designed for
10000 men but since work started
it has been raised to 1880. 1t may
not be ready before June, it was
reported.
The largest of the field artillery