Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-19
CASUALTY ROLL
MAILED DAILY =
TO NEWSPAPERS
New Plan Adopted for Nation.
Wide Distribution Of Lists;
Relatives to Receive
Notice By. Wire.

Washington, Aug. lS.-With the
publication tomorrow of the daily list
of casualties among Americas forces
overseas, the Associated Press and
other press associations in co7opera-
ton with the War and Postoffice de-
partments put into effect a new ar
rangement by which complete lists
are delivered daily by mail to the
newspapers in practically every city
IN the country.
Since the American army in
france has grown to force OF nearly
100000 men transmission of the full
honor roll of dead, wounded and miss
ing by telegraph to all the newspapers
has become almost an impossibility.
For weeks the press associations
have been obliged to curtail the vol
ume of their news in order to deliver
these lists, so important to the friends
and neighbors Of the men at the front.
Published simultaneously Everywhere
The Postoffice department, exercis-
ing control OF the telegraph systems,
has undertaken the responsibility OF
telegraphing the lists across the con-
tinent, and of providing printed copies
10 the press association simultane--
ousiy in Washington, Chicago and
San Francisco From these points
the associations mail them to the
newspapers. Each days list bears a
date OF publication several days later
so that all papers may publish the
same list the same day. Provision
has been for having half OF the names
appear first in the morning papers and
half first in the afternoon papers, but
all papers receive the complete list
for publication at the stated times.
The plan means publication OF the
names a few days later than if they
were telegraphed to the newspapers,
but with direct telegraphing out OF the
question, it furnishes means OF ma
tion-wide distribution which will place
the lists before the public long before
most of the papers could receive them
by mail fron Washington. -
Families Notified By Wire.
In announcing the Inauguration of
9the arrangement, the committee. on
public information explained tonight
that it will not affect the War. depart
ments policy OF notifying immedi-
ately by telegraph the families OF men
ementioned in the list, The commit
tees statement said:
There will be no delay in the pri-
vate notification of the next OF kin
OF officers and men reported in the
daily casualty lists because OF the
changed system OF public announce
ment OF casualties. As soon as It IS
possible 10 compare the names. which
arc reported by the adjutant general
Office with the card indexed catalogues
at the statistical division, the usual
private telegraphing notification viii
be made Ito relatives,
In order that the plan OF simultane-
Gus publication in the newspapers
'tmay be carried out fairly and that the
relatives Of soldiers whose. names ap-
pear on the kst may be saved annoy
ance. the War department has the
pledge of the press associations. that
mo use whatever shall be made OF any
flist before the day fixed for publica-
ton.
The papers specifically are ere-
quired to refrain from soliciting IN
.formation or pictures from relatives
or friends of those named in the lists
lin advance OF the date named for pub
Alication,