The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-26


portant moves announced by the gov
eminent yesterday were essentially
warlike in character and indicate the
determination to prepare for any
Emergency that he German crisis may
provoke. The announcements were
contained in two orders issued by the
War Department and one by the sec
rotary Of the Navy. The new orders
ubstantially provide for these under
takings:
/. The decentralization Of military
commands by creating six military de-
partments in place OF the four now
existing, including the shifting of Ma
jor Gen Leonard Wood from Cover
nor's Island to Charleston, S. c.
2. The mobilization of approx
mately 10000 National Guard troops
In inc New England and Atlantic Coast
states and the District of Columbia to
protect government property and mu-
milton plants.
8. An increase by the orders of the
President in the enlisted personnel or
the navy from 74,500 to $1,000 men
there already being a shortage OF APP
proximately $4,000 under the number
now authorized by law.
Ready to Arrest Suspects.
The call for state troops, it is learn
ed. is but the first step to be taken
.n the same direction. In addition
the government has Increased the
number Of operative in the Secret Ser
vice and Investigation Bureau OF the
Department of Justice to facilitate the
system Of espionage auth or1zed by
Congress over the activities of per-
sons who are suspected of disloyal-
ty.
It is not improbable that, following
the declaration that Congress is ex-
pected to make, that a state OF war
exists between the United States and
Germany, hundreds of persons sus-
pected Of spying upon the United
States or of being German reservists
will be placed under arrest and in
termed during hostilities Chief
among persons Of this character will
be officers and crews of German mer-
chant vessels now in American ports.
Transfer of Gen. Wood.
The order, transferring Major Gen.
Wood from command of the old De-
partment Of the East, which is now
divided, to the command of the
Southeastern Department, with head
quarters at Charleston, S. c., from
which point he will have supervision
over Tennessee, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Alabama and Mississippi, together
with the coast defenses Of New Or
leans and Galveston, caused great
sensation in army circles.
Woods Friends Cry Politics.
His friends are inclined to credit it
ito 'tpo1itics." A member of the Cabi-
net said, however, that the President
and Secretary OF War Baker had de-
cided on the transfer Of the COM
mander of the Department of the
East to Charleston *for the good OF
the service and as "a step Of wise
military necessity" g
Criticism of Gen. Woods removal
from the Department Of the East
which is the most important in the
country, is inspired by the impress
sion that his outspoken condemna-
ton Of the policy Of the Government
in regard to preparedness has been
distasteful to the Administration.
Denies Political Move.
Maj Gen. J. Franklin Bell, who
succeeds Gen Wood at Governors
to be fully capable of administering
vanced for the transfer of Gen. Wood
to Charleston and of Gen. Bell from
San Francisco to New York is that
the President desires to have them
both within each reach of Washing
ton, where their services may be
needed at any time.
A high official of the government
made the unequivocal deniel thai
there is any '.politicalIs-
there is any politics in the transfer
of Gen. Wood. On the other hand, ii
is asserted that the general has been
given ''the hardest job the service
that Of recruiting to the highest point
of efficiency the least adequately pro-
tected section Of the country and one
that under certain conditions would
figure in any plans that an enemy
might have for invading the United
States. The transfer Of Gen. Wood
Is said to have met with the approval
of the General Staff, and to be re-
garded by army officers as compli-
ment to his constructive ability.
How Generals Are Shifted.
The Eastern Department is divided
into two departments. The North
eastern Department, which is taken
from the old Eastern Department, is
to embrace the states of Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts
Rhode Island and Connecticut, and is
to esunder the command Of Brig
Gen. Clarence r. Edwards, now or
duty at Panama.
AS the new commander of the re.
modelled Eastern Department, Major
Gen. j Franklin Bell, now in com
mand of the Western Department, will
have military supervision over tbs
states of New York, New Jersey
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland
Virginia, West Virginia, the District o,
Columbia, the Canal Zone and the
Islands of Porto Rico, with the island.
and keys adjacent thereto. His head
quarters will be at Governors Isl
And
Gen. Bell is to be succeeded a:
commander of the Department of tn,
West by Major Gen. Hunter Liggett
now in command of the American
forces in the Philippines.
Brig. Gen. Edward H. P1ummer will
relieve Gen. Edwards from the com
mand Of the troops in the Cana
Zone.
The Central Department will EN-
brace the same states as at present
I with Major Gen. Thomas H. Barr,