The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-11-22
100000 in Canton
ments to Go Home

Washington, D. c., Nov 16-Move-
ment of American troops across the
Atlantic has stopped entirely and de-
mobilization of troops in Ncantonments
and camps at home is under way.
! Gen. March, Chief of Staff, made
this announcement to-day, outlining
the War Departments plans in an
swer to the questions the country has
been asking since the day the armis-
tice was signed, and it became appar-
ent that war was over. He said Or
ders already issued will send 200,-
600 men back to civilian life within
two weeks, and that when the pro-
gram is in full swing about 10000
will quit the army daily.
Fighting divisions of Gen. PERISH
ing's army in France will be demobil-
lied as far as possible in their home
communities. The Chief of Staff
would make no prediction as to when
the first divisions would start home.
1t appears probable, however, the
flow of returning troops can be in full
tide before February l. Quarters will
be available for them at cantonments
by that time.
Some officers regard it as possible
certain divisions may be recalled in ad-
vance of the general return move
ment. Gen. March indicated that the
AID RAINBOW Division), because it is
composed of men from &c States. and
in recognition of the fighting record
it has made in France, would be mark
ed for special treatment. The 26th
New England National Guard) and
41st (Sunset) divisions are in the
same class, so it would not cause sur
prise, therefore, if these three organ
izations should be designated by Gen.
Pershing as the first to return.
With six weeks of 1918 left, it is
possible they may be home before
New Years Day.
To Abandon Some CantOnments
Supplementing Gen. March's state
ment, Secretary Baker said it would
not be necessary to maintain all the
existing environments for demobiliza-
ton purposes and that study now
was 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 mus
tered out.
1--WE have in the United States now
something like 100000 men, and to
muster out q force of that kind, of |
course, will take some time," said
Gen. March. Each man has to be |
examined physically, his final account |
made, so that the men may get COM
pensation they are entitled to. Blank |
forms are being shipped to the various
camps for use as these orders go into |
effect.
Release 10000 Men Daily.
"The orders that already have been
issued affect some 100000 men. | ex-
pect to muster them out in two weeks.
When the machine is in full operation
we expect to release 10000 men
day.
"In handling this problem of demo-
bilization one of the features which
had to be considered was the subse-
quent retaining of men for the Regu-
lar Army, or what will be the Regular
Army, when Congress passes laws re-
organizing that army. When this war
broke out there were only limited
number of such men in the service,
and the great number of men who
filled out these units were men who
voluntarily enlisted for the period of
the war. So we have offered these
men who came in for the period of
the war the option of re-enlisting if
they care to-"