The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-06-05
AMERICAN MILITARY MISSION
PERMANENT INSTITUTION
nv Associated Press.)

,,,or+s of Italian headquarters, Will
extensive Offices and a considerable
force of officers and men, IN close
communication with the Italian hlsh
command and with the various Sec
lions of the front,
Thus far the work has been one
of organization and observation put
soon there will be the active service
along the mountain and Piave fronts
Of some 1900 officers and men OF the
regular army medical service, WIN
thirty ambulance sections OF ten or
twelve ambulances to the section, anu
later on there is the possibility, much
discussed, of American troops in the
fighting line. Already the American
uniform is much in evidence along the
streets, and there is distinct sent
ment of cordially toward the troop
ers in the broad-trimmed sombero.
! Major General Eben Swift, a caval-
~ officer Of long service, Is at the
head Of the American mission. He was
for a time in France in conference
with General Pershing, and then came
with his staff to Rome and to head
onarters. With him as chief OF stat
is Colonel John McA. Palmc- OF the
General Staff Corps, who was on the
general staff at Washington when the
constructive work on the new army
was being done, and later was one
of General Pershings chief staff Off
GERS in France
Other officers of the mission are
Lieutenant Colonel R. U. Patterson
Of the Army Medical Corps, Major
Taules, Engineer Corps; Major Bur
gin, ordnance; Captains E. 0. Hunt
err, Mckinney and Morgan, aides-de-
camp to General Swift; Captain Win
throp Chanler and Lieutenant E. c..
pomeroy of the intelligence branch;
Horace Bigelow, secretary, aud some
eight or ten enlisted men for the cler-
ical work.
The American officers have been
we'll received and made 10 feel at
home. They share the mess with the
other foreign military missions which
includes large number Of British
French, Belgian. Japanese, Serbian
and other officers. AS liaison officer
keeping the Americans in close touch
with the Italian military authorities
the government designated Prince
Colona, Mayor Of Rome.
They are in close contact also witt
many of the other well-known mill
tary figures including General Delns
Radcliffe, head Of the British mission
the Count Of Turin, commander OF thu
Italian cavalry and the many officers
of high rank who center at headquar
ters.
The American headquarters is as
tablished in one of the famous oil
palaces Of the region, now taken owe
for war uses. There are extensiv,
offices for the various branches en-
gagged in observation and report, will
a rattle Of typewriters and activit,
, that sounds like the corridors of tn
War Department at Washington.
The old palace has extensive gar
, dens in the rear which run back t.
one of the most monumental churcl
edifices in Italy, with its interio
adorned by the frescoes of Titan an,
Giotto and many Of the masterpiece
of Donatell as we'll as the catafaluu
, in which repose the remains of one 0
, the worlds great saints.
General Swift and the several stat
, officers are making constant visits t
various sections of the front, obsery
: ing general conditions and maxim
, studies on many special lines. Gener
al Swift is thus brought in freuuen
: contact with General Diaz at the head
quarters Of the Italian supreme com
mand, General the Duke of Aosta
commander Of the Third Army whic'
guards the Piave line, and he has ais
had the advantage of being receive
and entertained by King Victor at tn
royal establishment near the front.
But the General has not confine
. himself to official visits, and has mad
many trips along the fighting from
i, going into the forward trenches, talk
ing with the officers and men on tn
firing line and examining their equir
, ment, and the provision of guns. mv
nitions and material. The General ha
also made tour of the factories turn
ing out the supplies of guns and an
munition.
!. Colonel Palmer and the other off
GERS are also constantly engaged O
| visits of inspection to the variou
p points of the front. Colonel Paine
and Lieutenant Pomeroy arc nroro,