The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-11-23
REHEARSE
DISCHARGE
OF BRITISH
U. S. Officers See 24-hour Test
ing Of Details for Return
ing Soldiers to Civil Life
Britain to Have Is Dispersal
Stations; No Man Sent Home
Till Job Is Ready for Him
BY FREDERICK N. KERRY.
N. e. A, Staff CORRESPONDENT,


New York.-Details Of the biggest
dress rehearsal in history, in which
thousands of British soldiers partici-
pated in trial Rehabilitation, have
just been brought here. The English
experience is to be made available to
our governments =. r.
The scheme was prepared by the
British war .office>,and the ministry
OF labor. It was rehearsed by troops
in=-camp near London, the demo5iliza-
ton taking twentylfour hours. 1t was
closely watched by military observ-
ers, including q. S. officers, for any
DAVIS
! OF the men who took part in the re-
hearsal one-half was assumed to have
just arrived from France: the other
half was assumed to be from a col
lecting place in the United Kingdom.
All were theoretically. bound for
homes in a. certain specified district.
If they had come from the train hun
CRY they would have been fed, and, if
if they had been in need of sleep,
| would have been housed.
a dispersal station, under the plan
worked out. will have these comforts
ready, though they may not always be
wanted
! The men participating as factors
, in the dress rehearsal were in full
equipment. 81, On arrival they entered
an improvised office where each man
| received handbag In this he placed
his private belongings. Then he hand
ed over his rifle, steel helmet, gas
mask Cif he was assumed to haye
! just come from France) and other
equipment. If any important article
was missing, the man was sent to an
other desk to give an explanation.
| Here the officer in charge was called
| in to confederate or comment on the
mans story. A satisfactory eXplana'
| ton ended the matter. Otherwise, the
soldier was debited on his dispersal
certificate with an amount correspond
ing to the deficiency.
Wear Uniforms % Days.
A man left the shed in his uniform
and carrying only his great coat and
sandbag containing his private be
longings. In real rehabilitation, sol.
diers will be allowed to keep their un-
forms, but the great coats must De
returned on conclusion OF their fur
loughs. The men will be permitted to
wear their uniforms for twenty eight
days after dispersal, and thereafter
Oh special" occasions only. 80
Then follows the lAnentatiOn'
process. Each man. gotTjan out-Of
work insurance policy. securing him
in the, event Of unemployment. a week
ly sum to be determined later. In
exchange for his dispersal certificate
he' received a protection certificate
for use during his four weeks fur
Tough. 1t entitled him to advance
pay for the period. A label for the re
turn of his greatcoat at. the end OF
his furlough was issued to him; his
military service papers and q railway
warrant for his journey were put into
an envelope marked with the number
Of his railway group. This number
indicated to him those of his com
rades who were going home the same
way.
Is Taken to Station.
The men were warned Of the time
The soldier was at last demoZihZed
!, The clerks entered earnestly into the
spirit of the rehearsal. -
The full scheme contemplates the
establishment of eighteen dispersal
centers. The rate of rehabilitation
will be controlled by the labor minis
try, and no man will be sent back
home until there is a job awaiting
him,
A similar plan. differing in details
only. will undoubtedly be worked ou'
by our own war department. in co
operation with the department OF la
IJbor employment service. using the
British experience as a basis.
leEhe Mayo PARIS