The Mena weekly star., 1917-08-23
100000 MEN MN IN
 FRANCE BY WINTER
rransports Will Be Available as soon as Troops Are Ready Some tO Train in
 Cuba

Washington, Aug. i9.- There will ho more than 100000 United States troops in France before the snow flies It was learned yesterday that ample shipping facilities arc avail able for the transport of troops as soon as they are ready. Some of the divisions of the National Guard will he sent across before all of the reg uIar army is ready and before any of the conscripts go.
 The order of their going has been tentatively mapped out, with the New England, New York, Pennsyl- yania and Illinois divisions favored for the first chance because they have been organized as divisional units for some years.
 This order, however, may be changed at any time, as the drilling of the guard troops in cantonments progresses. Inspector instructors will keep a close watch of all the work and the reward of proficiency will be the vanguard of the National Guard line.
 NO hint was forthcoming from the War Department as to the troops which will be trained in Cuba As signments have been made out for all the National Guard and National Army units at the cantonments al ready picked. It may be that some of the National Army units which show particular efficiency in their Northern camps before snow flies will be formed into a division, sent to Cuba and there given the finish ing touches for service in France as soon as the spring breaks.
 Might Go to the Balkans.
 It was hinted today that still fur ther changes in the destination of some of the eSpeditionary forces might be made. In this connection the report of the renewed allied of fensive in the Balkans was recalled. War Department officials refused to discuss this or any other movement of troops.
 The news of the sufficiency of the shipping at hand for transport serv- ice came from the shipping board, confirming the prediction made by Secretary Daniels three weeks ago to the effect that when the time came, the ships would be at hand It is known here that many more than the original Pershing eXpedi- ton already are in France.
 After Draft Evaders.
 The Department of Justice, for the first time, yesterday took for nal cogniZance of the draft evaders. A. B. Bielaski, chief of the lnvesti- gation Bureau of the department, notified all the departments agents turnout the country that those who received notice to appear for physi- can examination and failed to do so, first become members of the mili- tary forces of the United States without examination. If they then fail to appear when called for duty they are deserters and subject to capital punishment. Mir. Bielaski has directed the agents of the de- partment to first endeavor to find persons who may not have received their notices to report Those who received notice and fail to report, he says, will be differently dealt with.
 Cuba's Offer Accepted.
 The offer of Cuba to provide train ing grounds for training troops on the island brought forth a very cordial acknowledgement from the State Department, which issued this statements
 The government of Cuba has of fered in a most friendly spirit to the government of the United States the use of training grounds in that re- public for the American forces.
 This generous offer has been ac- cepted by this government, with great pleasure. and careful consid- eration has been given to the ques- tion as to which of the American forces would be most benefited by training on the island of Cuba.
 This question has now been de- termined and the American forces will proceed to the eastern end of Cuba for training at an early date.
 The action on the part of presi- dent Monocal in making this friend ly offer is considered as a further proof of Cuba's desire to give cor dial cooperation to the United States of American and to be of ev- cry assistance to it in the war which both countries are now waging for the rights of humanity against the German government.