Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-21
D. c. SERVICE MEN
SAIL FROM FRANCE
About 10000 Men in the
Army Discharged Daily,
Says Gen. March.
MEN0HER SUCCEEDS RYAN

Gen. March today announced the
departure of five transports from
France, among which was the La
France. which sailed December IL,
and on which were troops from the
District of Columbia, Arkansas,
Mississippi, Alabama and Illinois.
One of the District companies on
board is Casual Company NO. 3l4,
made up of colored troops, and
these men, it is believed, were
trained at Camp Meade.
Appointment of Maj. Gen. Charles
T. Menoher, who commanded the 42d
(Rainbow) Division in France. as di-
rector of air service, succeeding John
D. Ryan, also was announced by Gen.
March.
Gen. Menoher is now on his way
home to take up his new duties, Gen.
March said. His old division is at
tached to the American Army of oc-
cupation on the Rhine. Gen. Memo
hers record as division commander
during the active fighting in which
the veteran 42d participated, led to
his assignment as commander OF the
9Th Army Corps, some time before the
signing of the armistice.
Interpretation of Selection.
The Interpretation placed upon as
signment of these Regular Army officers
to posts in the air service previously
held by civilians of wide business eXpe-
rience is that in the forthcoming staff
reorganization plans the air service will
be treated as an integral part of the ex-
listing military establishment, and not as
a separate service in any sense.
Gen. Menoher may be appointed as as
SiStant chief of the general staff in order
to complete this military coordination.
$4,000 Discharges Daily.
With a total of 1SS.562 men dis
charged from the Army during the
week ending December IA, Gen. March
announced, the War Department has
about reached the average of thirty
thousand discharges daily for which
the rehabilitation plan calls. On a
Seven-day basis the average for that
week was $1,000 men per day. but in
many cases rehabilitation officers did
not operate on Sunday.
Additional units in this country
designated for early rehabilitation
bring the total of men SO selected to
100000, Gen. March announced. Up
to the date of the latest official re-
ports 26,903 officers had been honor
ably discharged.
Gen. March stated that the War De-
partment was not considering taking
over New York harbor traffic in con-
nection with the threatened harbor
boat employees strike there. Such a
course has been suggested in govern
ment conferences on the situation.
New Head for Aircraft Production.
Gen. March also announced that Col
James A. Mars has been appointed to
succeed William C. Potter as acting
director of aircraft production. The
chief of staff explained that these two
details brought the producing and
operating machinery of the aviation
service back into the permanent mill
itary organization.
Every effort is being made to arrange
for the delivery of mail consigned to
units which have been designated for
early return, the chief of staff said In
cases where a majority of the members
of any unit have been ordered home tho
mail is held in the United States until
the organization arrives and a report is
made of the men left in France. The
mail addressed to these men then is
sorted out and sent across.
In cases where only small proportion
of a unit is homeward bound the mail
for the entire unit is shipped to France,
and that consigned to the men who have
been returning home is sorted out in
France and redirected.
Russian Mail Facilities Bad.
Gen. March disclosed that the COM
munication facilities with the Amer
lean forces in Russia. particularly in
the Archangel area. have been very
unsatisfactory. The War Department
itself has had difficulty in communi-
eating important military instructions
to the commander and only meager
dispatches have come through to this
end.
Gen. March said he felt sure that
the authorities in England and France
through whom these messages pass
are doing everything possible to i'm
prove the situation.
In answer to question, Gen. March
said that coast artillery units which
were being used for Army and corps
artillery are all being returned to this
country, but those which We're serving
as divisional artillery probably will
stay abroad for some time.
3,21O Prisoners Repatriated.
Gen. Pershing has reported that g.
21O American prisoners of war were
repatriated up to December 16. Of
these 1858 came through Switzerland,
324 passed through the American
front lines, 120 went through Holland
and 113 through Denmark. Those
passing through Holland and Dem
mark are now all en- route for Eng
land, the dispatch said.
Gen. PerShing expressed the opinion
that very few American prisoners re-
main in Germany, and believed these
would be quickly evacuated He said
a continued search is being made for
isolated prisoners, British and French
officials in Switzerland, Holland and
Sweden, and in Germany itself, aid
ing in this search.
The La France sailed with 368 off,
GERS, 1897 men, 81 nurses, Is French
mission officers and several civilians.
On the 18th the Aeolula sailed with
1929 sick and wounded, including los
officers.