Racine County, Wisconsin - Chapter 6: Volunteers Join the Colors, 1920

VOLUNTARY recruiting for the Regular Army, Navy, National Guard, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps was begun energetically immediately after the declaration of war, but at no time was the great effort put forth in this direction that marked similar situations in the Civil war or even the Spanish- American war. There were several reasons for not depending entirely on volunteers.

First, the people of the whole world had become intimately acquainted with the disagreeable side of warfare through reading accounts of the European conflict for nearly three years. Glamor of army service from the standpoint of pure adventure or romantic excitement was missing among most people, just as it wears off after actual service in the field. No one could look on this war as any sort of picnic. They knew only too well what modem warfare meant in terms of casualties.

Second, the United States planned to put in the field such a large army that it was out of the question to raise it quickly by voluntary enlistment, judging by the speed of such enlistments during the Mexican trouble in 1916 or in previous wars. The selective service act was the only means of getting as many men as were wanted, just exactly as rapidly as they were needed, and no faster.

Third, as a matter of justice all military experts were opposed to the idea of putting the burden of fighting the nation's battles upon the men who felt the obligation to offer themselves. All who claimed to be American citizens should bear their share. Also, many might volunteer who could help more efficiently by remaining on jobs at which they were expert.

Fourth, the Selective Service act was before congress right after war was declared, and many men who might otherwise have enlisted felt that they were acting entirely within their moral and legal rights if they waited until the government asked for them, and occupied the intervening time in arranging their affairs so

On the other hand the army and navy needed men at once for the purpose of bringing regular establishments to a war basis, and men who volunteered their services gained some advantages by doing so. They were pretty sure to see early service overseas. They could generally pick the branch of service they desired to go in, and wherever possible they were permitted to join the regiments they selected. Only men of perfect physique were permitted to enlist; many who were rejected upon attempting to do so returned home only to be drafted and sent to camps a few weeks later to serve with the National army.

In May, 1917, the army sent a recruiting sergeant to Racine to assist in filling the quota for the ambulance company of the National guard, and during most of the summer regular army and navy recruiting parties were stationed in the Commercial club rooms. Every postmaster of the country acted as part of the recruiting service to the extent of seeing that men who desired to enlist could reach a recruiting station if none existed near his home. Some advertising posters were put out urging men to join the colors. The Commercial Club donated its rooms as a recruiting office, and another was established in the Knights of Pythias building a week after the war started.

In spite of the somewhat mild campaign for voluntary enlistments Racine contributed about 700 men to the regular army, marine corps and navy by thatf method before the rule was put in effect that no more men would be accepted in the army excepting through the selective service machinery.

Some of these enlisted here, others went to Chicago or Milwaukee to take the oath. Upon doing so they were usually sent to recruit depots for preliminary training and then assigned to regiments as needed.

In Congress, some of the members put up a fight against the selective service law on the alleged grounds that America could always depend upon her volunteer soldiery; but their real reason was that they feared such a stupendous measure, put into effect without having its necessity absolutely proven by experience, might have a bad effect upon the political chances of those who supported it. Army officers pointed out that it would be several months before the first men could be inducted into service, anyway, and by that time a huge army would be needed. Their view prevailed.

Some older men, recalling draft riots and bounty jumpers of Civil war days, were insistent that men raised by a draft would be of no value as fighters. Happily, their theory was proven wrong.

During April, May and June the navy got most of the Racine recruits who did not care to join the artillery batteries or ambulance company. As many as fifteen a day enlisted and were sent to Great Lakes training station near Lake Bluff, 111.

In May orders were received from Washington that no married men should be recruited, and that those already in service should be discharged upon request. The only exceptions were in cases where it was shown that the wives would not be dependent upon the soldier's pay for a livelihood. Of course, some men who should have come under this ruling evaded it and remained in service, but it gave the first indication that the government intended to raise its army with men who would not leave dependents at home to become public charges.

Later the rule was modified somewhat, and married men who wished to serve and who alloted half their pay to dependents could also obtain an additional $1.5 per month from the government to be paid to those actually dependent upon the soldiers for support.

By autumn, the War Risk Insurance law was made effective, and under this act a soldier or sailor who might become disabled in service was guaranteed a certain compensation, based upon $30 per month for total disability. He also had the privilege of taking out life insurance in any sum up to $10,000 at a low monthly rate. If he were killed or died in service, this amount would be paid to wife, children, mother or dependent father, as he should specify in his policy, in monthly installments of $58 for twenty years. He himself would be able to collect on the policy only in case he were totally, and permanently disabled. The obvious purpose of the law was to end the

In practice, the sums awarded for compensation were entirely inadequate. For instance, if a person were 50 percent disabled it is quite likely that he would be unable to get a job, yet his compensation would be but 50 percent of $.30, or $15 per month, which would not buy meals for one at prices prevailing just after the war. This law was altered after the war.

Late in the summer of 1917, it was decided that the selective service act was ready for actual operation, and efforts to obtain volunteer recruits were abandoned excepting in the navy and marines. It was found easy to get almost enough men for the navy by enlistment, as there was a definite limit on the number of men who could be used. Also there was no heavy loss of life to require replacements. The marine corps was small, and the splendid advertising given it enabled it to obtain most of its quota by voluntary enlistment. All the recruiting done during the last part of the war was at the larger centers, such as Chicago and New York.

A couple of years before the declaration of hostilities between America and Germany the government had tried an experiment. It established a "Reserve Officers Training Camp" at Plattsburg, N. Y., to enable business men who desired to do so to take three months intensive training as soldiers, and then become members of the army reserve if qualified. Even the army officers who originated the plan were astounded, not only at the eager response to their invitation, but at the apparent efficiency of the officers thus graduated. The military experts had declared for so many generations that it took at least three years to make a soldier, that they would not admit that even a start at creating an officer could be made in three months.

The men who took the course at Plattsburg, however, were mature. They knew business methods and were accustomed to handling men and also handling problems. They mastered the elements of military methods in short order.

When the war broke out this plan of obtaining officers from picked classes of men recommended for special training, was tried out at once. It could be seen that it was the only possible way of getting officers for the million National army men who would come into camps as soon as the Regular and National Guard divisions were on their way to the front.

ness men holding executive positions. The candidates from Racine went to the Fort Sheridan camp in most instances. Some went to training camps in the west and east. Racine contributed several score of young men to the army through the medium of these camps. Physicians were commissioned in the medical corps without any examination excepting a physical one. Their college diploma, license to practice and recommendation by public officials was all that was required. Generally medical men were sent to special training camps where they listened to lectures on sanitation and army surgery part of the day, and spent the rest of the time in drill and fatigue duty just like the cadets at other training camps.