Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 232, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 October 1917 — Next Call For December; Gaps Are Unfilled. [ARTICLE]

Next Call For December; Gaps Are Unfilled.

Washington, Oct. 12. —Discussion of the advisability of expediting the call for the second increment of the draft army now is in progress at the war department and it appears likely that the date may be fixed for some time in December or January. Mobilization of the fifst increment of- 687,000 men is now far enough advanced to show clearly that there will be a big deficiency for the 17 national army divisions.- More than 250,000 of the first increment are still to be assembled, but it already* is evident that there will be available at the 16 cantonment quarters for an additional regiment at each post and at some for two regiments. Drafts on the national army forces must be made to fill up the enlisted personnel of the aviation service, the medical corps and the service battalions needed behind the fighting lines abroad. Eventually there will be 250,000 men in the last named service alone, and aviation and the medical service will take nearly as many more though not all of them will be taken from the national armyOperating today in the calling out of second increment to make good these shortages are several factors. Clothing equipment is coming only at a rate that can meet the demand of forces already called, the railways of the country have been overburdened with the job of moving the army and its necessities without hindering freight shipments vital to the sillies* Fixing of the date of the call for the second increment probably hinges also upon the careful study being made by Provost Marshal General Crowder and his assistants of the results of the plan followed in assembling the men called first.