Arizona republican., 1918-12-08
DIVISIONS OF
 OCCUPATION TROOPS
 HOME BY MIDSUMMER
Rule Of Discharge Within Four months After Peace May Have To Be Modi-
 fled By Con gress

WASHINGTON, Dec. Flight of the thirteen divisions, comprising the American third army now approaching the Rhine, either are national guard or national army troops, and there is every reason to believe that they will be on American soil again by midsum- mer.
 General March, chief of staff, an- nounced today that he anticipated no difficulty in getting these units home within four months after peace has been established formally by procla- nation. President Wilson, in his re- cent message to congress, said the ses- sions Of the conference probably would be concluded by spring. and based on this estimate of time, General March's statement was accepted to mean that these forces would return during the summer.
 Two national guard divisions, the 32nd and 42nd, and two of the national army, the S9th and 90th, now are in the front line of Major General Dick mans army of occupation, which was within 20 miles of the Rhine last night, according to General Pershing's report The 2Sth and 43rd national guard and the 18th national army are in the second line, constituting the re- serve which is occupying Luxemburg and various rail centers in France. in- cluding Montmedy, Longuyon, Etain, and St. Mihiel The 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th regulars comprise the remainder of the advancing army, while the 2nd and 7th divisions are with the reserve. ! May Modify Draft Law 1 The estimate as to the possibility | that all except regular divisions will 1 have been withdrawn from France by midsummer is based on General March's reply to question as to steps necessary to obtain an extension of the enlistment period for men in the army of occupation.
 "The law about the men who were raised in the national army is that they must be discharged four months after the declaration of peace" he said. ''That, l think also was extended to include men who made voluntary en- listments in the regular army. I will not have any difficulty in bringing back from France the so-called na- tional army divisions in four months after the declaration of peace. It is entirely possible that we will have to ask congress for some modification ot the law to provide longer period for the units which will remain in Europe" A total of 535 officers and 125,515 men, General March said, have been specifically assigned for early return
 by General Pershing. Included in the additional units reported today are 1, 426 officers and 29,3S1 men, the largest organizations mentioned being the
 field artillery brigades of the 9th (reg-
 ular) and 92nd (national army-negro)
 divisions, and the 345th and 346th in-
 fantry regiments from the S7th (na-
 tional army) division. The remainder
 of the list consists largely of motor re.
 pair units and auxiliary divisiona
 troops.
 Largest Unit Ordered Home The 346th infantry is numerically tht largest unit yet ordered home, show ing 77 officers and 3,1S2 men, while
 the 345th, with IA officers and 734 men
 has apparently been stripped by re , placement drafts. The full strength O , an infantry regiment is approximatel!
 3,60o men.
 Discussing demobiiizatioh of tn, forces at home, General March sait sstlege men, other than those in off i cers' schools, which were being aban
 doned, would receive no preference a to the time of their discharge. Tn , order of demobilization providing tha
 the combat divisions be disbanded last
 he said, has not been altered. "The system is working at a yer, much greater speed" General Marc 3 said, referring to demobilization, 'an l I have initiated system by which = get daily record as to officers an 6 a weekly record as to enlisted mer
 The actual number of officers dis charged at the time of the last an ] nouncement was 113; the number dis 5 charged last week, up to yesterday t was 7,65S. The number of men dis ' charged in the United States last wee Twas over 200,