The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-12
BIGGEST REGIMENT IN THE WORLD TO HAVE. IMPORTANT
 WORK. IN FRENCH FORESTS
Engineer Organization of Foresters Will Have Total of About 17OOO Men When Ranks Are Filled d-Composed of Foresters, Woodsmen and Lumbermen.

As the largest regiment in the world the 20th Engineers (Forest) will com mand the attention and respect of Allies and enemy alike. This regi- ment has already sent a part of it's forces to the French war zone. When the entire organization fis-in service, which will be in the near future, the roster will show approximately IT, 000' officers and men, or. ten times as many as the ordinary regiment.
 ! In the Twentieth there will be ten batta1ions of foresters, woodsmen and lumbermen, with. a strength of 7,5O0 enlisted men. In addition there will be nine service battalions composed of 7,250 enlisted men to work as la borers in connection with the activi- ties of the regiment, Colonel W. A. Mitchell, U. s. A., is in command. He is 8 West Point graduate of first hon. ors and is native of Georgia.
 This regiment is the second to be organized in the United States for service in the forests of France. The 10th Engineers (Forest), went across the ocean during the summer. In the two regiments, according to American Forestry Magazine, Washington, D. e., there will be a. total strength of g. 200 American, feresters and woods men in service in the war zone. The work of. these organizations is under the general supervision of Lieutenant Colonel Henry s. Graves, United States Forester, who is designated di. rector of forestry with the Ameri can Expeditionary forces. Major Will lliam D. Greeley, Assistant United States Forester, is deputy: director: , The work of these men will be te utilize thes materials of the French forests in supplying timbers for tht building of trenches and the man, other forms of Construction necessar! to modern warfare. Complete logint and swamin equipment is provided fol them and the regiments will afford the allied forces source of supply fo, their timber needs of every charac ter. In addition the trained forester will work with an eye to the futur' of the forests, selecting those tree
 which may be. harvested with tn, least damage.
 | Importance of making relief provi sion for the men and their fanilie
 is emphasized by R. H. Downman Lumber Director of the Commttte, on Raw Materials for the Council o National Defense. MT. Downman, wh' is from New Orleans and is presiden of the National Lumber Manufactur ers' Association, is perhaps in close touch than any other man with tn
 wartime situation as related to tn lumber industry. ,.s .-
 '"The, men. who compose the Pores
 Regiments are making a big persona sacrifice in following the flag into tn French forests" said MT. Downma
 today. "A large majority of thes
 men are above the draft age, but the
 have answered their country's cal
 With the unprecedented demand fo
 lumber at home there is work at hig twages for all the men who are skilfe ]. in any branch of forestry, lumberin
 and sawmi1l operations. Thousand
 of men who could stay at home a
 wartime wages have answered. Thes men will build the things needed t
 make your boys comfortable. iea
 'Their work is as important as ths l of the soldier, in the trenches and tn
 purpose of the Lumber and Forest
 Relief Committee to provide comfort
 for these men. and perhaps for thei