The Washington herald., 1918-09-08
PERSHING LISTS
. 10000 MEN
WOUNDED
New Casualties from Ameri-
can Army In France
Are Reported.
INCLUDES ALL NAMES
Diagnosis Of Minor Cases
VIII Be Sent to
Families.
OVERCOME BIG DIFFICULTY
Gen. March Orders Complete Hos
pital Records Sent to Him
INCLUDES ALL NAMES
OVERCOME BIG DIFFICULTY
Gen. March Orders Complete Hos
pital Records Sent to Him
from France.

There are 10000 casualties,
nearly all slightly wounded, which
have not been heretofore reported
by Gen. Pershing, Gen. March,
Chief Of Staff, announced yester-
day.
Gen. March made the important
announcement, after stating this
fact, that he has instructed Gen
Pershing to forward by courier
"the entire hospital records of the
American Expeditionary Force
giving all casualties, no matter il
a man is in a hospital only a day
A statement of the diagnosis oI
each case is then to be put into
the hands Of the relatives of the
men affected.
After this arrival of the FIRST
courier with 5thes data, the War
Department WI resume its for
mer plan of ig ling deaths
missing and such major casual
ties.
Overcome Letter Dificulty.
The reason for this announce
ment was given at some length to-
day by Gen March. He said: There
has been some discussion in tht
United States about our casualty
lists and the War Department has
been trying to get in touch with tht
exact condition OF casualties iT
France because we have heard from
a number OF sources of relatives a.
home receiving the information di'
rect from their people in France Of
men being wounded when the Wal
Department had not notified tht
relatives at home. An an early
stage in the reporting OF casualty
lists General Pershing asked fol
authority not to report slight cas-
ualties. because the men would b.
back on the firing line before tn
report. after investigation, coulc
reach the United States. 1t wa
thought then that 1t would simplif!
matters and prevent needless worr!
to relatives II that system wer,
adopted.
"Of course II Is very well under
stood that the opinion of man VIII
has been wounded may differ ma
terially from the opinion of the doc
tors. and undoubtedly a great man!
listed as not being severe, when tn
letters might indicate to the peopl,
at home that they were severe. 81
have gotten a report from Genera
Pershing as to the number of thes,
casualties in addition to those which
he has published. so as to be abl,
to give the facts to the American
people.
Courage to Face Lists.
Il am giving the facts to the peo,
pie because I know they will fac,
any casualty list with determination
and courage. Whatever it is. Gen
Pershing reports that up to Angus
20 there were 10000 casualtte,
which he had not reported which
were listed by doctors as light
men who have gone to hospitals an,
gone back to the line, and that sor
81 thing; but in order to meet wha
think to be the just demands o
The people at home for information
about their relatives in France,
am going to have Gen. Pershinl
forward by courier to us here tn
entire hospital records OF the Amer
lean Expeditionary Forces givinJ
al casualties, no matter II a maj
5 in a hospital only a day. with
medical diagnosis of each case; an,
hen I propose to put in the hand
of relatives, after the arrival of tn
trst courier with such records,
statement of the diagnosis.
We will then suspend on tn
part OF Gen. Pershing any repor
" wounded. He will report deaths
missing and such major casuaItiel
md the War Department will star
n with the arrivals of the rrs
fourier to give out all Information
lbout casualties"