The Carlisle independent., 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 Will Find Plenty of Work and Will Release Soldiers for Fighting.
By EDWARD B. CLARK.

CtdltS drluy, VIII De the cOInnaNQluB 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 9 next. This Is one reason why rumor may be wrong in assigning him to the command of the expedition ary force, but 1t must be said that rumor in the present case seems to be fairly well substantiated.
 Another reason which would stand in ordinary times as a deterrent to the plan to give Scott the command is 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 be understood that in cases like this rank does not neces- sarily count. A man is picked for job and that ends it.
 Through nearly forty years of serv- ice General Scott was cavalry officer. He graduated from West Point in 1876 and entered the Ninth cavalry as a second lieutenant. From that day un- til few years ago, when he was given general rank, he served solely with mounted troops.
 If Not Scott, Perhaps Bell.
 There is a story today to the effect that if General Scott is not given the command of the expeditionary force 1t will go to J. Franklin Bell. Bells ca reer has been given prior to this time. He is a medal-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 H. Barry, now sta toned in Chicago, like Bell, ranks Scott. Barry will be sixty-two years noted officer of fine service and is one of the men under whom Roosevelt said he would like to serve as junior off cer. The other one mentioned by the colonel was Leonard Wood, now "se- Questered" or "sequestrated," which ever is better. at Charleston, S. c. Already they are beginning to gossip in Washington about the possible or even probable intention of the authori- ties to keep General Wood where he is and to send a junior officer with the | first expeditionary force to France. Wood Is the youngest of the major gen erals. Even Pershing, who is regarded generally as one of the youngsters, is three weeks older than Wood It looks today as if General Wood was to be kept where he is until much bigger force shall go abroad than the one which apparently 1t is the intention to send quickly.
 Nothing positive as yet can be said about the composition of the troops which will form the first eXpeditionary force. Of course it will be balanced force with a 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.
 Ptenty TOT GU9iHCCTS tO bOs Americas first contribution of sol diers to the allied forces in Europe was made up of hospital units. They are as much a part of the army as is | the cavalry and taking things alto gether they are in their way the more useful. The engineers next will he 1 called upon to contribute to the cam paign in France. Of course there will be sufficient force of engineers with | the first division which goes over to do the divisions work, but Uncle Sam will send to France as big an engineering force as possible, and send it quickly. There is plenty of work for Ameri- | can engineering troops in France at the present moment, work which it Is essential should be done to maintain lines of communication for the allied armies and to prepare the way for the coming of the American soldiers of the 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 want in France that has been sharply felt for the better part of the year.
 Mloht 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 preliminary cam paign with the United States and Brit ish navies as partners was being drawn by naval officers of the allied nations l in council assembled in Washington. 1 The country is not told, of course, 1 what the plan is, nor will it know "A