Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 106, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 May 1917 — Page 3

Officers of a National Guard regiment enrolling new members as the regiment mobilizes in response to the president’s call.

TRAINING THE OFFICERS WHO WILL COMMAND ONCLE SAM’S NEW ARMIES

Thirty-Five Thousand Bright, Earnest Young Americans Assemble at Fourteen Camps Scattered About the Country to Be Drilled in the Science of War —Picked for Mental and Physical Qualities.

Washington. Thirty-five thousand bright, energetic, earnest young Amerjcans are assembling at 14 camps, scattered throughout the country, to form the nucleus of Uncle Sam’s new armies. From them will be chosen three months hence the 10,000 subalterns needed for the first army increment of 500,000, who will begin training about the first of August. The war department called for the "most experienced natural leaders the country possesses” to fill the officers’ training camps, and high military officialshere agreed as to the fine caliber of the material obtained. Every one of the 35,000, besides passing a rigid physical examination, is either a college graduate or has had a business career Indicating his special intelligence, personality and capacity for organization and Inspiring leadership. The 35,000> themselves are picked men. Even of those who passed the requirements only a part, those deemed most promising, can be accommodated In the camps. And when it is considered that only two out of every seven men attending the camps will lie assigned a post in the new armies at the close of, the three months’ grueling study and drill, it is obvious no drones,' no “boneheads” and no weaklings physically, mentally or morally, should get the coveted assignments. But those who failed to obtain entrance to a camp, or who are not chosen at the end of the first three months need not give up hope of serving their country as officers. Another set of camps, probably larger than the first, will inynedlately follow these, and the facilities for turning out leaders for the new troops will be expanded as America gradually develops the full force of her power. Have an Advantage.

Many of the young fellows now at file mobilization points already have commissions in the officers’ reserve corps, others have had good records in the National Guard or other military organizations, or school training for war work. Thews men >ave an advantage over the rest, for no one is barred from the camps, by entire lack of direct military experience. The more experienced, however, are most likely to get their commissions first. The rest may attend a second or even a third camp and then be drafted into ' the new armies. Training in the camps will be intensive as possible, but will be severely handicapped by a lack of suitable Instructors. Officers of the British and French armies, some of them wounded, have been coming back from the western hattie front in the last few weeks and it is expected the small corps of regular army instructors- at each camp will be materially assisted by these veterans, who are fresh from the most awful struggle in history. The eyes of the whole nation will be on these camps, a unique establishment in American history. Every town and almost every village has furnished a camp member, and his career will be closely watched by his -friends and relatives. The best account of how the camps will he conducted is given in an order issued by the adjutant general at Washington, brigadier general H. B, McCain. The details will have, to be worked out at each camp and it will count. General McCain says: •'During the first month of the camp those In attendance will be divided into 15 companies, regardless of the arm of the service for which the Individuals are destined. During this month the qualifications of each man will be studied, with a view to assigning the necessary numbers for further instruction in the separate arms Of the service. —w A Selected by Merit. "At‘ the end of the first month men will be reassigned in due proportion Co as to form nine Infantry companies, three batteries of artillery, two troop* of cavalry and one company of engi-

SPEEDING UP NATIONAL GUARD RECRUITING

neers. Other men who will have'"been selected for the coast artyiery will proceed to Fort Monroe, Va., or Fort Winfield Scott, Cal., for the remainder of their training. Those who remain at the division camps will receive two months' training after the reassignment mentioned above. “At the end of the whole period the regular army officer in charge will select from each company, troop and battery the officers for one regiment of the corresponding Thus we shall have carefully selected officers for sixteen infantry divisions and two cavalry divisions by the time that the supply departments can furnish equipment for these troops and by the time the necessary machinery can be put la motion for procuring the enlisted men. “Each company, troop and battery must furnish approximately 45 officers. Those who are not selected for immediate use will nevertheless be commissioned In the officers’ reserve corps, if found to be competent, and will be available for use In connection with any additional force that may be authorized. ' “The total number of officers requ 1 red for tfie Infantry divisions and the two cavalry divisions is approximately 10,000. These should be preferably mature men and the most experienced natural leaders that the country possesses. It is recognized that there are thousands of men throughout the country between the ages of tweijty-one and forty-four who have had more or less military experience, either In the regular army or National Guard or at military schools. With the basic experience supplemented by natural aptitude for handling men as demonstrated in business or otherwise, a splendid corps of 10,000 reserve officers should be available by the middle of July. Should Be the Best. “It is necessary that ‘the first ten thousand’ should be the best that the country has, jin planning our military forces we must assume that the war Is by no means drawing to a close, and that the country must expand its military forces as rapidly and effectively as the resources of the country permit. The 16 infantry divisions and two cavalry divisions aggregate approximately half a million men. The officers of these forces must receive substantial promotion to meet the demands of forces to be raised later. It is conceivable that many men who are appointed in ‘the first ten thousand’ must be promoted one grade with each successive addition to our military force. For this reason the war department hopes that mature men will seek appointment in ’the first ten thousand.’ “Other similar camps must follow this first camp. Young men must be admitted to the first camp, but not to the exclusion of inaturer men. In the second and following camps young men will predominate. “In making provision for instructors at these training camps the resources of the war department have been taxed to the utmost. The number of instructors is not nearly as great asit should be,but it is hoped and believed that many reserve officers and candidates for appointment as such who would be in attendance at those camps will have special qualifications to teach certain subjects and in this way will be of matertai assistance to the regular army officers. This depends so much upon the personnel of eaehinslruelloucompany that the matter must be regulated by the regular army officers in charge of each company.— - Book Wilt Be Furnished. “The outline of the entire course of instruction will be prepared in the war department and furnished to the commanding officers of the camps. “Books, maps and printed matter in general will be furnished by the government Those who attend the camps should bring books they possess, but the authorized and necessary books for Individuals will be furnished on arrival la camp. L , “The minimum age of those who attend is twenty years and nine months.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

This enables the war department to appoint suitable young men who are twenty-one years of age at the end of the training period. The maximum age is forty-four years. It is expected that students at colleges who are members of the Reserve Officers’ Training corps and who are especially fitted to become members of the ‘first ten thousand’ will be selected by the regular army officer on duty at the college and admitted to these camps. Such students should preferably go to the camp that pertains to their home states. It is believed that colleges in general will graduate seniors who attend these camps.”

SPEAKS GERMAN ONLY, GIVES SON TO NAVY

Yoakum’ Tex.—Naval recruiting officers here were forced to look for an interpreter when G. Holmeg of Shiner personally brought in his seventeen-year-old son, Otto, for enlistment in the navy. Holmeg, a farmer, was born in Germany and cannot speak the English language. Through the interpreter he said: “Please accept my som lt is my offering to America.”

“THE BLUE DEVIL OF FRANCE”

Lieut. Col. Jean Fabry of Marshal Joffre’s Staff Has Thrilling Experiences in War. Washington.—Lieut. Col. Jean Fabry Marshal Joffre’s chief of staff, 11 known in his own' country as “Thr Blue Devil of France.” He has prob ably experienced as many thrills a> any man in the French army. As commander of a battalion of Alpine chas-

seurs he led his men In the. battles of the Marne, Ypres, Dixmude, Arras and in the Vosges. In a gallant action in which his battalion carried by assault a position on the height of Reiphsackerkopf,' Lieutenant Colonel Fabry lost a leg. M. Hovelaque, a member of th. French commission, speaking of him said: - 1 ■ “The Blue"t>evll bf France Is grateful to America for the wooden leg he is wearing, but be is not so grateful at the price he had to pay for it. Colonel Fabry is a remarkable man. He has been wounded several times, and has seen some of the most dreadful TfiTggs that have occurred during this war.”

Whole Family Enlisted for War.

Cincinnati.—The entire family of James A. Vine of Cincinnati has enlisted for war duty. Vine’s son, a National Guardsman, persuaded his father to join the regimental band and his mother and sister to enlist fir as Red Cross nurses.

ANY PLAYER CAN BUNT

Athletes Overlook Opportunities to Improve Themselves. Batting I* One Department of Game That Requires Consistent Practice, Whether Free Swinging or Scientific Form. Major league baseball players who spoil the chances for victory in championship sanies through failure to bunt correctly can blame themselves in nine cases out of ten. thus saith a wise manager like John McGraw. A month in the South ought to suffice to turn a doubtful hunter into a sure man if the player takes advantage of his opportunities, but the average player fails to show a disposition to correct the fault during the training period and bunting practically is considered a hardship by most athletes. One would think that a player would be sufficiently interested in his own welfare to practice bunting for ten or fifteen minutes every day. but as a rule the average player wants to get up to the plate and see how far and how hard he can hit. John McGraw remarked one day that the members of the famous Oriole team practiced all kinds of hitting for hours every day. The aggressive members of that team were not satisfied with the regular hitting practice which precedes every game. They went to the park every morning and became skillful through excessive practice. Willie KeeTer.thoTrotcdbrmter.wnsamong this crowd, and to these sessions he owed part of his skill. The team batting average for one season was over the .300 mark. “Ball players think they are becoming proficient in hitting with twenty minutes practice each day,” said Me 1 Graw. “They surely have the mistaken idea. The Baltimore club members used up the energies of every kid around the park for pitching duty, and when they tired the groundkeeper sent out for more. If there is one department of the game that requires consistent practice, it is batting, whether it be free swinging or the scientific form.”

ACKNOWLEDGES HE IS WILD

Larry Cheney of Brooklyn Dodgera Makes Capital of Fact—Has "Stuff" on the Ball. « Larry Cheney, the Brooklyn pitcher, does not deny that he is wild; on the contrary, he acknowledges it. The great spitballer has been in the league five years and makes capital of the fact that in that time he has pitched (wo games wherein he gave no bases on balls. One was with Chicago in 1912, the other last year with the Superbas. Larry is at his best when he

Larry Cheney.

Is wild, for he then has the stuff on the ball, and while he keeps the fans guessing with his many passes, the opposing team rarely gets the timely hits. Larry gave 105 bases on balls in 41 games last year, made 15 wild pitches, and hit 10 batsmen, but he allowed only 178 hits and 91 runs. He W’on 18 out of 30 games. Figuring on his early season form, Larry ought to better this record in 1917. Ho Is In fine shape, and is quite as wild as ever.

HAS QUALITIES OF LULLABY

-Baseball Is-Balancing Medium, Says Major General Wood—Goes to . ‘Sleep During Game. Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood believes In baseball as a balancing medium in these days. He is satisfied, too, that it has the soothing qualities of a lullaby. = He went to the Polo grounds in New York on the opening day to lend his approval to the sport and to throw out the first ball. That over, he sat down in a„ reasonably uncomfortable chair and fell asleep. Tired nature simply was demanding toll, and the napwas "a trtbuf?to*b® unflagging steal and long hours of work in the previous two or three weeks. The hours at his desk and the Jpter hours of speech-making- robbed him of needed rest, but be was able to make up three innings of it in a box at the Polo grounds, as the Yankees went down to defeat before the Boston Bed Sox.

FOUR NEW MANAGERS IN WESTERN LEAGUE

TRIO OF MANAGERS IN WESTERN CIRCUIT.

Four clubs of the Western league. Des Moines, Sioux City, Wichita and; Joplin, have new managers this season. Of the four, however, onlytwo are Inexperienced in managing Western league clubs and only one is new to the league. Jack Coffey, who will pilot the Des Moines entry, succeeds Frank Isbell, who this year will manage the Wichita team. Coffey was formerly manager and shortstop at Denver. Ed Hdlly, who will manage Sioux City, is a newcomer to the league, being formerly with Memphis in the Southern Jack Dalton, who will manage Joplin, is a former Western league player, being with Des Moines before he went to the majors, later jumping to the Federal league. He played on the Pacific coast last year. Five of this year’s leaders are player-managers. Marty Krug of Omaha, Coffey of Des Moines and Holly of Sioux City are infielders; Dalton of Joplin and Rebel Oakes of Denver are outfielders. Ducky Holmes of Lincoln, Jack Holland of St. Joseph and Frank Isbell of Wichita will manage their teams from the bench.

AGAIN IT’S PRINCE HAL

A year can bring some changes. Just a year ago Hal Chase was discredited and almost blacklisted out of organized baseball. He was branded 100 per cent has-been. Finally they let him catdi on with the lowly Reds. That was considered about the worst punishment to a ball player of the class of Hal Chase. • Now will somebody please look over the averages of last year? You will not have to look long to find the name of Chase. It stands second from the top in National league batting. Really he is the leader of the league, as Holke, who had a better average, played in only 34 games. Now it’s again Prince Hal, if you please. In Cincinnati they will mob a man who falls to call Chase the greatest first baseman in the business and not a few fans in other cities will agree to the title. Just a year and it has been done.

LOBERT THROUGH AS PLAYER

Veteran Third Baaeman of New York Giants Has Been Appointed First Lieutenant.

Hans Lobert is through as a regular, but his value to the Giants is by no means neglible. Twelve years of major league baseball have endowed him with a thorough knowledge of the

Hans Lobert.

game, and his long service on the diamond has not diminished his enthusiasm or fighting spirit. McGraw has made the “Dutchman” his first lieutenant and John has developed into a coach par excellence. --

STORIES

Christy Mathewson still is going big in Cincinnati. - - • • • Cosey Dolan is playing second base for Indianapolis. ... • • • Risberg, who plays the short field for Chicago, looks like a handy ballplayer. Alex McCarthy is in grand form thia year. He is hustling every minute of the time. • * • Manager Mathewson of the Reds is looking for a hard-hitting right-handed outfielder. w • * ■ ' Dallas is baseball mad, according to Doc White, who is one of the owners of the club. Leslie Mann is to have his tonsils removed next fall as soon as the season is over. ♦ • • After all, McGraw may deserve that $50,000 salary. He has to boss Heinle Zimmerman. • • • Many pitchers will breathe easier now that Honus Wagner has quit the game for good. • f - • Even the Philadelphia scribes cannot see much ifi the way of pennant hopes for the Athletics. ———- • * « Now that Heine Zimmerman is a Giant Chicago fans can find time to write about the game. • • • Branch Rickey is now president of the Qjrdinals, but he still has court strings tied to his work. • • ♦ ~ Basebait has been jolted a trifle by the world war. but the sporting pages are as expansive as ever. ♦ Some baseball clubs play so mechanically that they ought to be operated on the nickel-in-tbe-slot basis. is a quiet sort of cuss and doesfm ftiss much. But he surely does play the old baseball game. If those German submarines should attack the Southern league, Mobile would probably be the first to be sunk. Of all managers with troubles, save your sympathy for Miller Huggins. He has the Card players and a score of bosses. * * • It took some of ’em a long time to inentajjy assimilated the information, but most hall players are now wise to the fact that the Federal league is a corpse. . , - ' “Some of the Southern and Western league parks,” says a baseball statistician, “will accommodate close to 15 per cent of the surrounding population." Maybe they will, bnt the magnates would like to know when.