Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-22
0FFICERS ANXIOUS
ABOUT CHANGES
ponnsylvanians G los e | y
Watching Reorganization
of New York's Division
soME DISMAY EXPRESSED
First City Troop Especially
Desires to Retain Its Identity
AS a Cavalry Organization
By a star Correspondent

.rAAIP HANCOCK. Augusta, Ga, Sept. %.
oaioers and men Of Pennsylvania's Twen-
,y.slehth Army Division, who anxiousy
,.ve been awaiting details of the reorgani-
,,,on plan pertaining TO the units in the
a.d here are keeny interested in the re-
mia Of the reorganization affecting the
New York division.
n general IL is the opinion of officers that
~ plan as put into effect at Spartanburg,
q n will work out we'll There was some
asniay expressed among members of the
E.avairy regiment when news reached here
= the effect that cavalry units there had
tsAn transformed into machine-gun bat
,alions and trench-mortar batteries II had
hsen hoped by members of the regiment.
sspeclally by members Of the First City
sr,on the Government would see fit to re-
tain cavalry organizations but II is felt
now that there is little hope of Philadel-
nhlas crack troop. whose history extends
back almost $50 years, retaining it's iden-
TN as a mounted fighting organization. It
sso is considered as wholly unlikely that
recormsndations made 20 the War Depart
mept that the division he permitted to re-
main as now constituted, with the possible
exception Of a reduction in. strength and
the constitution Of a second division, will
be accepted.
There was much comment throughout
camp this morning on the reorganization put
INTO effect at Spartanburg. and It was felt
that similar changes will he made here.
Brigadier General Price who is acting
eommander Of the division during Major
General Clements absence. is engaged on
cnal details of the reorganization plan for
tie Pennsylvania units, and he is expected
% announce il At any time.
Z In addition to the First city Troop. Phila-
6elpha has other units in the field here.
which have glorious traditions, earned
throughout many years of service. The
First Infantry, for instance, dates it's
, Inception back 10 the unhappy days Of Ci2il
! war; In fact. II shares honors with the
Second Field Artillery which was the
Second Infantry before it was transformed
INTO the artillery branch Of the service at
me border last year Both units saw ac-
tive service i'm the past were commanded
BY eminent soldiers and earned the respect
ana gratitude of every Phiadelphian
. through the generations
It is because of these traditions that
commanders and men, too, feel that some
Effort should be made to preserve their deu-
,ity II is pointed out that regular army or
sanlzatons, despite all changes have been
permitted to retain the designation by which
ihey have always been known, and IT is
4 considered that the Government should be
equally consderato of the National Guard
ogTanizations
4 II is at least hoped that if the regi-
nents must suffer loss of their identity
bs having new numerals designated for
them. they will not be entirely dismem-
ired The Fourth Infantry has already
been relieved Of a battalion which was as
fgned TO the Rainbow Division" It also
b \ hoped that there will be no sweeping
tansfer Of commanders.