The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-03-09
u. s. CASUALTY,
Z LISTS WILL NOT
BEPUBL.ISH.E|D
Suspension of Information Re-
garding Army Deaths
is Edict
WOULD PROTECT TROOPS
Intention to Prevent Enemy
From Learning Identity of
Divisions.
WOULD PROTECT TROOPS

Washington, D. c., March Y.-lssl'
ance OF daily lists Of casualties among
the expeditionary forces abroad was
discontinued Friday by the public III
formation committee as the result OF
an order of the war department under
which the names Of the next Of kin
and emergency addresses OF soldiers
whose names appear on the lists here
! after will be withheld. The Official eX-
| PLANTATION is that The purpose Of the
order is to keep information OF value
from the enemy. y
On being informed Of the order the
committee took the position that long
| lists of men killed or wounded would
be worthless to the newspaper cores
| pondents without the addresses, and
a notice was issued advising the press
that in future all information regard
ing casualties must be obtained from
tho war department. At the adjutant
generals Office it was stated that the
lists without addresses would contin-
ne to be sent to the committee and
would be available there. ..
While the disagreement between the
committee and the department. prob
ably will be Strengthened out soon so
that the 'expurgated" lists may be
made available to all who desire them,
the purpose of the department to with
hold the addresses apparently Is unal-
terable. Acting Secretary CroWell said
Washington, D. c., Mar 9.-Under
orders issued today by the chief OF
staff hereafter no addresses or name
Of next of kin will be given by the
war department in announcing casual
lies among the expeditionary forces.
It is understood that the purpose Is to
prevent disclosing the identity Of the
units on the firing line.
Secretary Crowell said the order /
issued at the urgent recommendation
Of General Pershing and that it would
be permanent. Both Mr.. Crowell and
Major General March, acting chief OF
staff, declared that the purpose was to
close UP channel through which the
enemy might obtain valuable informa'
ton and both disclaimed any intention
of seeking to conceal heavy casual
ties reports from General Pershing.
"You may say for me-" said General
March, that the war department has
not and will not hold UP single name
for an instant longer than it takes to
get it out"
Relatives to be Photographed
The nearest relative Of every sol
der who may be killed or wounded
will be notified by the department as
heretofore. Lists containing simply
the names Of the soldiers under the
heading KILLED in action or died OF
disease" will be sent each day to the
committee on public information. To
give out the lists in this shape. ac-
cording to officials Of the committee,
would bring each day a food OF re-
quests by telephone. telegraph and
mail for specific Identification Of each
man named In the list of the previous
day. ~, ',
Lists Would Disclose Troops
Unofficially it was said at the war
department that General Pershing
held that the publication of addresses
with the casualty list tends to disclose
the identity Of units In the trenches,
information which the enemy is so
DESTROYS of obtaining that many lives
are risked in sending raiding parties
to bring out a prisoner or two to be
examined and questioned.
To the press the order means that
each newspaper must depend upon the
messages to relatives to get the news
of men from it's own community who
are killed or wounded