Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-11-20
If Everything Goes Right Troops to
Get Home First VIII Include
Boys i'm the Rainbow Di-
vision, Which Has a
Number Decorah
Boys in it
SOME REPORTS SAY THEY
Will. BE HERE CHRISTMAS
Home People VIII Give These Noble
Young Men Grand Reception
When They Return and All
Hope They Will be
Here Soon


i Washington, d. c., Nov. IS
/ Secretary Of War Baker announced
| Friday the first move to demobilize
the army will be the discharge of
development battalions in all camps
lin this country. The development
4 units are composed of drafted men
who did not meet physical require
'lments or who needed special drill or
discipline to bring them into full
4 lmilitary value.
i There are about $4,000 Of these
Il troops, and their honorable discharg
twill come as soon as they receive the
aphysical examinations required be-
ifere man is discharged.
4 .'No furloughs will be granted in
i the case OF these men, Secretary
Baker said ''They will be honorably
discharged, but no certain date has
been fixed'
As to Troops Overseas.
Secretary Baker held out no pro-
mise that some troops in Europe
could begin to arrive home by
Christmas. In some military quart
ers this is regarded as possible, how
ever, If everything progresses
smoothly in Europe with respect to
effecting armistice conditions. Units
which have seen the hardest service,
1t is believed, may be returned be-
fore peace actually is declared.
The thing we must do" Secretary
Baker said. 'is to demobilize the men
lin this country and all others with
\ reference to their occupational op-
portunities, so as to let them go back
Into normal life of the country with
out filing the country with unem-
ployed men.
THE war department is working
in close cooperation with the de-
partment of labor and the war in
dustries board as much in the dis
charge of men as in the termination
of contracts"
Divide Country Into Zones.
In this connection it is reported
the plan under consideration is tn
divide the country into districts or
zones for the purpose of ascertaininS
the industrial needs for labor from
time to time as reconstruction prog
resses, thus developing the oppor-
tunities for labor and the character
of labor most urgently required.
This done, the army oversees and
camps here will be coined for men
who can perform this labor. Then a
certain number will be- discharged
from the army and urged to apply
for work in their line in their respec-
tive localities.
'If an individual had an oppor
tunity to get his own employment,
would an Individual case be con-
sldered? . Secretary Baker was ask
ed.
An individual ease" he replied
"if it falls in class that was to be
discharged as class, but no prior
ties and no fuloughs will be granted.
Keep Physical Record.
EVERY man who is discharged
from the army has to have a ply
steal examination and very careful
record made for statistical status and
instead of furloughing them and then
discharging they will be discharged,
SO that there may be no subsequent
claims against the government No
date has been set for the medical
examinations, but l have an idea it
will be soon.
cit is difficult to grant requests
business institutions. etc., for men
because it breaks up units and
J creates an inequality Of conditions,
] and it is not likely that individual
y requests can be granted. The ply
sical examination applies also to
students at schools"
Can Return 100000 Monthly.
Edward N. Hurley. chairman of
| the United States Shipping board,
announced Friday on the eve of his
departure for Europe that the gov
erument intends to return to this
country speedily. large part OF the
/ American expeditionary forces. The
purpose OF Mr., Hurley's trip u
Europe is to arrange the details for
their transportation.
Continued on last page.