THE WAR HUSTLERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 82, 31 December 1917, Page 3

THE WAR HUSTLERS

HOW AMERICA MOBILISES FOR TRAINING 209,000 ON THE WAY TO CAMP About 200,000 men, representing the .third.increment to the National Army, are on their wav to sixteen cantonments, where already half tho 687,000 called to the colours by the President are mobilised (wrote a correspondent of tho American Associated Press recently). Although to-day's quota should he 40 per cent, under regulations promulgated by Provost-Marshal Crowdcr, local conditions in the various States have reduced the general average of tho increment to 20 or 25 per cent. Coincident with the start of the third division of tho now National Army for the training camps to-day the Railroads War Board issued a. statement in connection with the part which the railroads have played in handling the biggest troop movement over attempted in this' country.

"Including tho National Guard, the regular array, and tho new National Army, the railroads to date have moved approximately 720,000 soldiers from their homes to training camps or embarkation points," says tho statement. "The great bulk of this army—all of it, in fact, except tho 32,549 men included in tlie first 5 per cent, of the National Army that moved by regular train, on September s—requireds—required special train service, involving the use of 13,500 passenger cars, including 1500 Pullman and Tourist sleepers, 2000 baggago oars, and 4500 freight cars. "Some slight conception of what this problem means may be deduced from the fact that in the National Army movement alone the railroads hare had to prepare special schedules covering the 4531 towns and cities designated by the Provost-Marshal as tho. points of local concentration from which the reoruits of the new National.Army proceed to their cantonments. .

"In addition, the.special_ train movements have had to ho so directed as.to prevent interruption to the regular passenger service. "The longest haul made in tho National Army movement to date was that of a spccial train which moved citizen-soldiers from Yuma, Ariz., to Fort Riley, Kan., a distance of 1514 miles. # This trip occupied forty-cie;!)!: hours. The shortest distance travelled by any unit of the National Army was that of, tli*. District or Columbia unit, to Camp Meade. Maryland, a trip of li":ss thf..n 1-wor.tj-fivo miles.

. "Practically nil of the National Guard movements to date have been of preat length. The longed one was that made by a battalion of San Francisco engineers from San Francisco, Cal., to a point 01 the Atlantic coast. Tliis battalion included 506 men and 1.8 officers." They occupied a snenial train, comprising one standard sleoper, nine tourist sleepers, one baggage car. two kitchen cars, and throe box-cars. Their train Mt S'.n Francisco at 4 p.m. on Pentnmber 1. and arrival at its tination at 10.15 a.m.. September 8."