Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-21
BAKER REVIEWS U.S..
VETERAN BRIGADE
At END OF TOUR
Section Of First Division Under
Full Equipment Brings Cornpli
ments From War Chief.
POINT OF WEDGE. HE SAYS
~ Associated Press 10 Every Erenine
WrTH THE AmERicAv ARwY ~ FHavcE,
March 70

~ Associated Press 20 Every Erenine
WrTH THE AmERtcsg ARwY ~ Fpswcv
March 70
Secretary # War Baker tn,lay conclud
ed his visit ~ inspection 90 tho American
military zones in France with trl,
which tOyk him from be Vcrdun sector
~ Great headquarters and included n
review ~ one brigade ~ ihe First Divi-uM
which he addressed as Representative y
the whole army
The Secretary also visited tho hirfbL
place ~ Jeanne UArr and made qu u-
cidental inspection of tho trcope herr art
there over the route which be trsyeree,l,
Tonight the Socrctarv departed % f1hhlI
other aspects ~ his visit 10 France
The brigade of the First Division rss
reviewed frorn stage ou high pl7trau
commanding q wide panorama ~ onc =
the mos' srenicallv beautiful par'- II
Franco u IS reached by a ztoep winding
road from thr valley below fw~nf.
hours rain had made = inaccczzihle p,
notor. 5o hn Secretary and hi- rar4
made 'he ascnnf On fopt slirring md ='r'
ing on 'ho graseT mud
rFPeHfTG tsD srsrr rrrrr
lust Is they arrived a. thr stand. '.cn
Pershing and his personal staff .7nc
acrosg thn field and dirrn0untrd fhr
entire partv them Jpinrd thc rai'ina
division and brigade generals and thoir
stafs
cold March wind and occaSior4i
squalls nf ram made hc -c~nc more
impressive az Tho hrig,Ho n full marching
equipment swept hy ~ company front
each -alernr Ike olnck work vhilc hand
pavc thi"h swrlled and softened
the ~ ud Secretary Baker Iift~d
4
lowered ~ salute and urcaginnsilv poke
70 Eon Prr-hing. WIN stood beside hri
This 4rigadr from the FIRST Division,
% mt fcot N Frame was composed ~
mon seasoned IN training under znrnrner
and winter skies and rnired ~ rnud and
cold under al conditions 0f campaigning
y hPv were he first IN the trenches and
he FIRST n suffer casualties nder the
weight of ful fieid equipment. irorn trench
tools ~ EXTRA tnols aimed and hi iho
soldiers stepped SwingIuplv through the
sticky mud that was almost fnn upurh for
the mules who drew Tho onr-pounders and
he wheeled kitchens
FIRST RRtG4pE REVIEW
II was the first time that an entire
brigade which bad been ~ actinn had
been reviewed and the Secretary cornpll-
rnented the general commanding and the
colonies NJ the various units
When the review was concluded he
brigade md commissioned officers as-
sernhcd IN a bodv and we're presented -
the War Secretary ~ C,en pershfnR In p
brief address ip which he cornDlimented
their record Of fitness and efficiency.
secretary Baker with barred head m she
cold wind, told the officers thew were
typical American soldiers and SAID they
we're the point ~ the wedge oi the army
which the whole American people Is drIv-
ing into the ranks If their adversary
The officers then formed r. ilne and each
shook hands with the secretary rs his
name was announced. The secretary
acknowledged each greeting and when
some acquaintance approached, he added
n personal word or two
PERsHtvG SHOWS PLEASURE
Gen Pershlng showed grattcaHon st
he splendid condition and aupear3ncc
Of the brigade and remarked
These men have been here and know
what IT. IS. You can tell that hy the way
they throw out their chests as they swing
bv.
When the review was over he brigade
dlsbanded INTO units and marched tacs
to the camps Secretary Baker. Ien.
PershIng and his staff and the other gen
erals frIdged down the hlll through The
mud 10 the waiting motorcaFs.
secretary Raker day vas D fIli one
as he covered several hundred kilometrcs
IN his automobile Eariy in the morning
he drove 10 the Nerdun region ~ D spot
from which Fort Douaumont was yislric
He saw the activities behind the French
lines and q long artillery wagon tram aHa
marching troops
On the way he Secretary stopped where
ever american troops were bdleted. The
organizations turning out be- soldiers
were questioned regarding details of foo4
blllets and equipment and the Secret4r
often went into the biilets 10 get % person
al impression
COMPLAINS or SEA MY FOOD
he only complaint registered sas
about 3 scant food ration. which aas
found to bc due 70 he temporary change
~ the stations of the units atfeCte Once
the Secretary party met b asellng
kitchen The secretary left his automo-
bile and had taste of the soup and food.
His comment was Very good
During the day Secretary Baker visited
the French divisional commander Who
Compllmented the American troops. -ay-
ing he had called the attention of his men
~ tLC 'Apt'tiaio1o -AiAN aH@Pk'g. va -At'
Americans unloaded and assembled their
artillery
On Tuesday finding himself 10 the vii
entity of a certain unit the Secretary sent
for a fellow Ohloan Carlisle Babcock. of
Cleveland, private ia the Marine Corps
and a son Of q personal friend Nter
brief talk, the two were photographed to-
gether.
The visit TO Domrcmy the home of
Jeanne ID Arc, was the concluding inc-
dent Of the day. Secretary Baker and cen
Pershing driving to the little village They
inspected the church where the French
heroine was baptized and the hunbls
cote where she was born.
Weather Forecast.
By Associated Press 20 Every Evening