Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-21
MENOHER NAMED
AIR SERVICE HEAD
Rainbow Division Chief
Will Succeed Ryan, March
Announces
RELEASES DUE 100000
Rehabilitation of Army Be-
ing Rushed at Rate of
10000 Daily
RELEASES DUE 100000
BY the Associated Press
washington. Dec. II.

49, washington, Dec. Il,
Appointment of Major General Charles
r. Menoher. who commanded the Forty.
second (Rainbow) Division in France
as director of air service, succeeding 6
John d. Ryan, was announced today by
General March.
Colonel James A. Mars has been
named acting director OF aircraft pro-
duction. succeeding William c. Potter
General March explained that these
two details brought the producing ma
chinery of the aviation service back into
the permanent military organization.
General Menoher is now on his way
home to take up his new duties, General
March said. His old division. the Rain
bow, is attached to the American army
OF occupation on the Rhine General
Menoher's record as division commander
during the active fighting, in which the
veteran Forty-second participated. led
to his assignment as commander of the
Sixth Army Corps some time before the
signing of the armistice.
Assignment of these regular army
1prevlously held by civilians Of wide
business experience indicates that, in
the Forthcoming staff reorganization
plans. the air service will be treated as
an integral part of the existing mill
tary establishment and not as a sep
arate service in any sense. General
Mencher may be appointed an assistant
chief of the general staff in order to
complete this military coordination.
With a"total of 1SS,562 men discharged
from the army during the week ended
December IA, General March announced
today, the War Department has about
reached the average Of 10000 discharges
daily for which the rehabilitation plans
call.
On a seven-day bases the average for
fhat 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
brings the total of men so selected to
100000, General March announced Up
to date of the latest official reports 26,-
Dos officers had been honorably dis
charged.
8210 Prisoners Repatriated
General Pershing has reported that
3210 American prisoners of war were
fepatriated up to December 16. OF
these 2653 came through Switzerland
324 passed through the American front
Ines: 120 went through Holland and 113
through Denmark. Those passing
through Holland and Denmark are now
All en- ruote for England, the dispatch
laid.
S General Pershing expressed the opin-
pm that very few American prisoners
4remain in Germany and believed these
would be quickly evacuated. He said
continued search is being made for
isoiated prisoners, British and French
qhcials in Switzerland, Holland and
Sweden and in Germany itself aiding
IN this search.
Not to Control Harbor
General March stated today that the
War Department was not considering
tpking over New York harbor traffic in
connection with the threatened harbor
boat employees strike there. Such a
Course has been suggested in Govern
nent conferences on the situation.
As an illustration of the heavy flow
of troops returning from France on
board the largest ships, General March
announced that the steamer Leviathan,
making ten trips, had carried an aver
! age of 941S men to France on each trip
Seven other ships of unusual tonnage
averaged better than 1000 men per
"trip.
! Every effort is being n 49, to arrange
for the delivery of mail consigned to
units which have been designated for
aarly return, the chief OF staff said. In
cases where majority of the members
OF any unit have been ordered home the
mail is held iG the United States until
The Organization arrives and a report is
made of the men left in France The
Ihail addressed to these men then is
sorted out and sent across.
Mail Redlrected In France
In cases where only a small proper
ton of a unit is homeward bound the
rbail for the entire unit is shipped to
France and that consigned to the men
Who have been returned home is sorted
out In France and red1rected.
General March disclosed the fact that
the communication facilities with the
american forces in Russia, particularly
10 the Archangel area, have been very
Unsatisfactory. The War Department
itself has had difficulty In communi-
citing important military instructions
70 the commander, and only meager dis
Ihtches have come through to this end
General March said he felt sure that
the authorities in England and France,
through whom these messages pass, are
dbing everything possible to improve the
situation.
In answer to question General
March said that coast artillery units
Which were being used for army and
cprps artillery are all being returned TO
this country but those which were serv-
lag as divisional artillery probably will
etny abroad for some time.