The Dermott news., 1917-05-31
RUMoR IS HE WILL COMMAND FIRST AMERICAN ARMY THAT
 GOES TO EUROPE.
BELL ALSO A POSSIBILITY
Big Engineering Force That Is to Be Sent to France Speedily Win Find Plenty of Work and Will Release Soldiers for Fighting.
By EDWARD B. CLARK.

| officer of the first great expeditionary force to be sent into France. This takes no cognizance of the engineer regiments which are to be sent into France quickly to carry on construc- ton work.
 Hugh l.. Scott will retire from active service because of the age limit on Sep tember 22 next. This is one reason why rumor may be wrong In assi signing him to the command of the expedition ary force. but It must he said that runor in the present case seems to be fairly well suhstantiated.
 Another reason which would stand in ordinary times as Il deterrent to the pbh to give Scott the command k that there are several major generals on the active list In the army who rank him and who are younger than he. of course It must he understood that in cases like this rank does not neces- sarily count. A man is picked for a job and that ends it.
 Through nearly forty years of serv- ice General Scott was a cavalry officer. He graduated from West Point in lS76 and entered the Ninth cavalry as second lieutenant. From that day un- til few years ago. when he was given general rank. he served solely with mounted troops.
 lf Not Scott, Perhaps Bell.
 There iS Il story today to the effect that if General Scott is not given the command of the expeditionary force it will Co to ]. Franklin Bell. Bells ca rcer has been given prior to this time. He Is mcdal-of honor man and was attached to the cavalry during the most of his junior service. General Bell was sixty-one years old January 9 last.
 Gen Thomas II. Barry. now sta toned in Chicago. like Bell, ranks Scott. Barry will be sixty-two years old on october l3 of this year He Is noted officer of fine service and k one of the men under whom Roosevelt said he would like to serve aS Il junior oili- cer The other one mentioned hy the colonel was Leonard Wood. now "se- questered" CT "seduestratea, which ever is better. at Charleston, x. (.
 Already they are beginning to gossip In Washington about the possible ar even probable intention of the authori- ties to keep General Wood where he k and to send n junior officer with the first expedtlonary force to France. Wood Is the youngest ef the mn Ter gen erals Even Pershinc. who k regarded generally as one of the youngsters. Is three weeks older than Wood. II looks today as if General Wood wnS to be kept where he Is until much bigger force shall go abroad than the one which apparently il is the intention to send quickly.
 Nothing positive as yet can he said about the composition of the troops which Will form the first eNpeditionary force. of course II will he balanced force with proper representation of the cavalry, artillery. infantry and the other branches. Judging from what seems to be the logic of things the ex- petition will be about equally divided between regulars and National Guards men.
 Plenty for Engineers to Do. America's first contribution of sol diers to the allied forces in Europe was made up of hospital units. They are as much a part ot the army as is the cavalry and taking things ;str- gether they are In their way the more useful The engineers next will te called upon to contribute to the cam i paign in France. Of course there will be sufficient force of engineers with. the first division which goes over to de ] the divisions work. hut Uncle sam will send to France as big an engineering i force as possible, and send it quickly.
 There is plenty of work for Ameri- 1 can engineering troops in France at i the present moment, work which it Is essential should he done to maintain i lines of communication for the allied armies and to prepare the way for the coming of the American soldiers of the i line.
 The railroad system In France today Is an intricate affair Hundreds of short lines Of road have been built to make communication easy with the diff ferent sections of the army. There is not enough rolling stock, however. In France and 1t has been necessary to detach men from the fighting line to do the railroad work. The regiments of American engineers will fill n want in France that has been sharply felt for the better part of the year.
 Might Crush U-Boat Bases.
 Rear Admiral William s. Sims of the American navy has been in Paris In consultation with naval boards repre- senting Great Britain and France. The discussion. 1t Is understood, had to do with the submarine menace. While the conference in Paris was going on a complete plan for a preliminary cam paign with the United States and Brit ish navies as partners was being drawn by naval officers of the allied nations in council assembled in Washington.