The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-11-19
Movement of Troops
Across Atlantic En-
tirely Stopped.
MEN IN CANTONMENTS
BACK TO CIVIL LIFE
Two Hundred thousand OF for
Homo Within Two Weeks and
Thirty Thousand to Be Relsss-
cd Each Day With Program
Full Operation.

Washington, Nov. 17.-Movement
of the American troops across the
Atlantic has stopped entirely and de-
mobilization of troops in canton.
ments and camps at home is under
way. 7
General March, chief Of staff,
made this announcement Saturday,
outlining the war departments plans
in answer to questions the country
has been asking since the day the
armistice was signed and it became
apparent that the war was over. He
said orders already issued would
send 100000 men back to civil life
within two weeks and that when The
program was in full swing about s0,-
900 would quit the army daily. !
Fighting divisions of General
Pershing's army in France will be
demobilized as fast as possible in
their home communities. The chief
of staff would make no predictions
as to when the first divisions would
start home. It appears probable,
however, that the flow Of retuxfing
troops can be in full tide before
February. .F.%A
- Some officers regard it as possible
that certain divisions may be recall
ed in advance Of the general return
movement. General March indicated
that the Forty-second (Rainbow)
Division, because it is composed of
men from 26 States and in recogni-
ton Of the fighting record it has
made in France, would be marked
for special treatment. The Twenty.
sixth New England National Guard)
and the Forty-first (Sunset) Divis,
ions are in the same class, so lit
would not cause surprise if these
three organizations should be desig-
mated by General Pershing as the
first to return. With six weeks of
1918 left it is possible they may be
home before New Years day.
Study of Cantonments.
3 Supplementing General March's
statement, Secretary Baker said it
would not be necessary to maintain
all the existing cantonments for de-
mobilization purposes and that a
study was now being made of those
desirable for that purpose. The
others, with all the divisional camps,
he indicated, will be abandoned as
soon as the men now occupying them
have been mustered out.
The rehabilitation will be carried
out in the following order:
First, development battalions; II
in number and comprising s8,199
men; second, conscientious objectors
not under arrest; third, spruce pro-
duction divisions; fourth, central
training schools for officers with
some notifications; fifth, United
States guards, now numbering 1885,
600 men; sixth, railway units; sew
enth, depot brigades; eighth, replace
ment units; ninth, combat divisions.
eve have in the United States
now something like 100000 men
and a muster out of force of that
kind, of course, will take some time -
said General March. each man has
to be examined physically, his final
accounts made so that the men may
get compensation they are entitled
to. Blank forms are being shipped
to the various camps for use as
these orders go into effect.
"1n handling this problem of de-
mobilization ono of tho foaturos
which had to be considered was the
subsequent retaining of men for the
regular army, or what will be the
regular army, when congress passes
fContinrad on Pape d)