The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-12-10
ONLY REGULAR FORCE
SCHEDULED TO STAY
Eight of Thirteen Divisions Now Ap-
preaching Rhine Made Up of Men
Enlisted for Period of Emer-
gency.


divisions, comprising the American
Third Army now approaching the
Rhine, either are National Guard Or.
National Army troops, and there is
every reason to believe they will be on
American soil again by midsummer.
General March, chief of staff, an
rounced today he anticipated no diff
Guilty in getting these units home
within four months after peace has
been established formally President
Wilson, in his recent address to con-
gress, said the sessions of the confer
ence probably would be concluded BY
spring, and based on this estimate OF
the time, General March's statement
was accepted to mean that these forces
would return during the summer.
Two National Guard Divisions, the
Thirty-second and Forty-second. and
two of the National Army, the Eighty
ninth and Ninetieth, now are in tae
front line of the army of occupation
which was within 20 miles of the
Rhine last night. according to General
Pershing's report. The Twenty-eighta
and Thirty-third National Guard and
the Seventy-ninth National Army are
in the Second line. constituting the
reserve which is occupying Luxemourg
and various rail centers in France IN
Guiding Montmedy, Longuyon. Etain
and st. Mihiel. The First, Third,
| Fourth and Fifth Regulars comprise
/ the remainder of the advancing army.
while the Second and Seventh Diyi-
sions are with the reserve.
The estimate as to the possibility
that all except regular divisions VIII
| have been withdrawn from France by
midsummer is based on General
| March's reply to a question as 90
steps necessary to obtain an extension
of the enlistment period for men IN
the army of occupation.
'The law about the men who were
! raised in the National Army is that
they must be discharged four months
] after the declaration of peace" he
said, "Thata, 1 think, also was extend
ed to include men who made volun-
tary enlistments in the regular army.
I won't have any difficulty in bringing
back from France the socalled Ma
tional Army divisions in four months
after the declaration of peace. 1t IS
entirely possible that we will have t.
ask congress for some notification;
Of the law to provide a longer period
| of the units which will remain IL
Europe.
! A total of 1926 officers and 123, 3,4l5
| men, General March said, have been
specifically assigned for early return
| by General Pershing. Included in the
additional units reported today are
1926 officers and 29,3S1 men, the larg-
est organizations mentioned being the
| field artillery brigades of the Eigh-
tieth regular) and Ninety-second
! National Army negro divisions and
the Three Hundred and Forty fifth and
Three Hundred and Forty-sixth In
fantry regiments from the Eighty
seventh (National Army Division.
| The remainder of the list consists
largely of motor repair units and
auxiliary divisional troops.
Discussing demobilization of tie
| forces at home, General March said
college men other than those IN Off
GERS school which are being aban-
eoned would receive no preference as
to the time of their discharge. The
order of demobilzation providing tina,
combat divisions be disbanded last, he
said, has not been altered.
"The system is working at very
much greater speed" General March
said, referring to rehabilitation, "and
I have initiated a system by which
! get a daily record as to officers and a
weekly record as to enlisted men. The
actual number of officers discharged
at the time of the last announcement.
was 113; the number discharged last
week up to yesterday was 1858. The
number of men discharged in the
United States last week was over
20O. 900.