The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-13

Washington. March 1.-THE Amer
lean war machine took a long leap
forward today
All former records IN preparations
are to be smashed Many forebod-
lngs a s to the ability of the United
States to get it's forces across ars
being dispe1led.
from shipping board quarters and
from high diplomatic sources came
asshrances that the transportation
situation is rapidly clearing up
Supplies for the army. food cloth
ing, shells and guns are beinning 10
piie up IN prodigfoIs amounts
During the next twelve months,
oe,ooo,ooo Is to be spent by the war
department in the erection OF huge
storage depots to accommodate tho
rapidly accurnulating material.
Thirty Interior depots are to go up
west of the Aiieghenies. Huge as
sem bling warehouses FOR airplanes
whence planes are to be shipped
across to the fighting forces.
The war department announced
late this afternoon the beginning 81.
a widespread shake-up In the COM
handing generals of the selective
troops
Must Have Handy Officers
No general officers ere TO be sent
acroess' that are unfit TO stand the
rtgors OF service at the front. AS d
result eight general officers, includ-
ing five division commanders, were
named by Major General Peyton &.
March. acting chief of staff. as hax-
ing failed to meet the physical re-
Quirements. They are to be returned
to their grades In the regular estab-
lishments. relieved of their commands
with the national army. and assigned
TO stations on this side of the At
lantic.
The orders to speed UP are reports
peals on the part of the allies for
more American forces to help with
stand the shock OF the expected Hun
offensives. France. particularly Is
said to have renewed her urgings in
this respect. For this. no definite
official confirmation could be OBJ
tanned.
The whole movement across" said
General March sis being speeded as
rapidly as possible
shake-up I'm Army.
Sweeping changes in the commands
ing personnel of the American army
were foreshadowed tonight when sevea
general officers were relieved of field
commands and assigned to permanent
duty on this side of the Atlantic.
The shake-up Is a direct result Of
the demand made by General Pershing
that only commanding officers ply
sicaliy fit and able to stand the rirora
of service at the front be sent abroad.
The officers affected are:
Major General Richard NJ. Biatchs
ford Ito brigadisr-generaI commands
ing department of Panama.
ator-General Edwin St J. Grehie
to (brigadier-generaD and relieved OF
command Thirty-sixth division. Camp
Bowie. Tex.
Mator-Generai Charles c. Morton
relieved from command Twenty-ninth
division. Camp Mcclellan. Ala.
Major General Edward H. Plumncrs
to brigadier-generaD, relieved from
command Eighty-eighth division. Camp
Dodge. Ia.
Major-General William II. Sage 10
(brigadier-general). relieved fro m
m n d Thirty-seventh division.
Camp Shelby. Miss.
Major General Thomas Fl. Barry. res
lieved from command Eighty-sfxth di-
vision. Camp Grant. ILL.,, and assigned
to command central department. Chi
cago, relieving MaJor-General w. III.
Carter, y. s. A.. retired.
Major-GensrAl William A. Mann To
(brigadisr- GENERALLY commanding East
ern department New York.
No ReductfOn In Rank.
The reductions In grade to brigA-
dier-generSl is due TO tho fact that all
of the officers in the list. with the ex-
ception of Generals Barry and Morton.
were holding their higher grades only
for the period of the war and by vir-
true of the fact that they NARA 49,
signed to the national army.
Major General Peyton c. March, aft.E
ing chief OF star Of the army. ans
, nouncing the action taken, made Iks
plain that II was but the beginning 90
general wedding out from field com ~
mands of the physically unnt.
Henceforth no general officer u -
be sent TO the front who fails TO pasA5
q rigid physical test And all gene1a1S
; officers now abroad. on inspecfieN4
tours. Including Major General IeeS3
ara wood. II vas indicated. viii NJ MN
quired to return homo 20 take the t&5<s
Plants for the mAnslf1cfnre ek III q
shsllss Hams huritn9 des1eon a1A &