Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-08
o retarded has been the receipt
and publication of the casualty
lists that only the word Of Gen.

committee, stands between the state
ment and the general belief that the
casualty lists have been held up.
When the armistice was signed the
total reported casualties were ap-
$4,000 and the unofficial
estimated total was 100000. The list
has now grown to 264,125, and this
vast increase strikes terror to the
hearts of anxious relatives lest the
had supposed safe, are written in the
long unpublished list to which they
have no access. However, of the
total number of casualties, approx
mately 10000 are slightly wounded,
and that is not very serious thing
In view of their being able to wear
on the sleeve the gold "V" that stands
for wound received in the great
war.
Another side of the same subject is
that where relatives know that their
soldiers have been i'll or wounded
severely they have no way of ascer-
tanning what progress they are maxi
iH6 SowdLO recovery OF 10 lHe latdl
end, and no way is apparent by which
they can be relieved from the anxiety.
The fact that within three days after
the armistice was signed Canada gave
Its total casualties and In ten days
England published the totals-more
than two millions-of her loss during
the war. made strong suspicion that
something had been held back. even
though 1t does not appear that Canada
gave the names of her casualties.
At the hearing Secretary of War
Baker stated positively that the de-
partment had not held up a casualty
report for a minute. except that it
until at least three days after their
receipt. during which time he caused
telegraphic notice to be sent to the
near relative of the casualty. He ex-
planned the unavoidable delay on this
side from the fact that all lists were
sent in code and had to be decided
and listed-a process taking at least
tWenty-four hours. He told of the
growth of the casualty listing corps
from a hundred to nearly a thousand
and of the difficulties the newspapers
had in getting the long lists on the
congested wires. He said that to OBJ
viate this delay he had directed the
practice of mailing lists to the distane
states for distribution there as soon
the friends.
In response to questions of Senator
Johnson, it appeared that somewhere
Is list of the casualties to date but
Assistant Secretary Keppel explained
that on the other side there was no
complete list, but that as the names
were checked off as settled in their
put upon the cable. Mr.. Keppel fur
Their said that, while the system of
card and master card seemed rather
complex. he did not see in what way
it could be greatly improved. AS a
result OF test on considerable scale
he found that the average time from
the date OF the casualty to its final
recording in the central statistical of
nee In Tours was a little more than
tWenty-one days. Reports from hos
pitfalls came in shorter time. This APP
parently long time of reporting was
due chiefly to the fact that in the
progress of a battle it was impossible
to keep accurate account Of the men
that fell; that many were fighting
with French or British divisions and
the wounded here were taken to the
hospitals of the allies and the count
lost for the time to the United States
records. The rest of the lost time was
accounted for in checking up the rec
ords and comparing the cards to make
sure lldL no mistaken reports were
sent to those at home
Gen. March said that he had initiat-
ed a courier service by which a mes
senger would by swift steamer each
week bring a progress report of the
condition of all the wounded and
sick in the hospitals, but apparently
this system is not yet working
smoothly. for diligent inquiry at the
War Department did not locate any
office familiar WITH these reports,
which might mean so much to rela-
tives. Gen. March also said that he
had ordered Gen. Pershing to send
lists Of the casualties as soon as pos
sible. but Gen. Pershing had replied
that it was not possible to get accu-
rate results any faster, and that he
was doing all that can be done.
The senators of the committee had
letters from relatives by the hum
dreds. telling pitiful tales of mis-
takes and delays. and of their ina
bility to obtain confirmation of re-
ports from stricken soldiers but no
one seemed to be able to suggest a
way for improvement
THE book of estimates throws a lit
tie light upon the possible sizes
Of the two military establishments of
the United States and shows from the
pay appropriations sought an indica-
ton that the Army may number about
100000 men-although gossip has
placed it at 600,0O0-and that the Navy