Evening star., 1918-11-24
Two Lists Issued Daily.

Two Lists Issued Daily.
Under the present system two lists
of casualties of all kinds, averaging
about 1,500 names, are issued daily by
the committee on public information.
At the Office of the committee it is
said there is no delay there in the
publication of these lists. that they
are made up at once and issued in the
order in which they are received from
the War Department.
Secretary Baker. Gen. March. chief
of staff, and Gen. Harris, adjutant
phatically there is no justification for
the charge that there has been any
delay in the publication of the cas-
ualties. On the other hand. they as
sert that everything possible is done
to prevent delay. it being recognized
formation at the earliest possible mo-
ment.
According to Gen. March, special in
structionS were sent to Gen. Pershing
several weeks ago to spare no effort
to report all casualties at once. using
serious injury and using couriers to
bring lists of all minor casualties, such
as cases of slight injuries or mild sick
ness.
Secretary Baker said Yesterday that
there had been no change in that
system, except that after the signing
of the armistice Gen. Pershing was
instructed to discontinue the use of
the code system in cabling major
casualties and to send such messages
in plain English. The idea was to
give relatives and friends in this
country the earliest possible informa-
ton and to facilitate publication in
the newspapers.
Statement by Gen. March.
According to Gen., March, the Wa,
shall know exactly and at once ali
the details OF casualties among the
forces abroad.
mo casualty lists" he said. "are
kept back-all are transmitted and
published as fast as communication
facilities permit. Anxiety caused by
delays and Inaccuracies which former
ly existed should be dispelled by the
present arrangements for the receipt
and publication of casualty lists and
the system of follow-up letters re-
Gently instituted by direction of the
chief of staff.
"The salient features of the present
arrangement are, first. the receipt by
cable and prompt publication of the
names of the dead and missing; Sec
ond. the receipt by courier letter and
prompt publication of all other casual
ties, including cases Of serious illness
and gas casualty
sThe adjutant generals office is now
able to give the nature and degree OF
the wound OF injury and other details
not heretofore obtainab1e. At once
upon the receipt of the information
notifications are sent by the adjutani
generals Office"
One Point Not Explained.
No one in authority, however, was
able to explain exactly why recent
minor casualties are contained in the
latest lists given to the press and
major casualties of much more remote
occurrence are not yet available. In
view of the fact that major casualties
are cabled and minor casualties are
brought over by courier. the situation
reported was explainable only by the
theory that some major casualties
occurred at distant points in France
and had not yet been reported to Gen
Pershing's headquarters.
Denial was made that possible con-
gestion Of the cables by less impor-
tant messages could be responsible
for the apparent delay. It was tier
the War Department that all major
casualties were cab1ed as soon as
known and the information impaired
at once to those concerned.
AS to the actual publication Of the
| lists, it was stated that the adjutant
general had increased his force han.
ding such messages from about 10(
clerks to 500 clerks. and was using
every endeavor to avoid delay. One
effect of the increase of force ha6
been to advance the preparation OF
the lists for publication about so pei
cent. That meant that, whereas the
lists had been about twenty days ant
| in some cases thirty days behind, the,
were not now more than ten days
behind, carrying them up to the time
OF the signing of the armistice and
beyond.
That the task Of handling these
lists is big is shown by Gen. March's
statement yesterday that there hat
been 236,117 casualties in the Amer.
fcan forces in France. England an6
| other foreign countries during ths
war. including 81. .169 deaths from al
prisoner and 1.160 missing.