The Mena weekly star., 1918-11-21
WILL DENOB|LHE
TROOPS IN CAMPS
200, 900 to Be Sent Back to Civil Life
Within Two Weeks-Many in
France Will Return By
New Years.

I " dcLAHEt Vlls @tNf. Ats---SAofS4A1AAN
Of American troops across the Allan
tic has stopped entirely and demobil-
ization of troops in cantonments and
camps at home is under way.
General March, chief Of staff. made
this announcement today, outlining
the War Departments plans in an
swer to the questions the country has
been asking since the day the armis-
tiee was signed and it became appar-
ent the war was ever. He said or
ders already issued would send 200
900 men back to civil life within two
weeks and that when the program
was in full swing about 10000 would
quit the army daily.
Fighting divisions Of General Per-
shing's army in France win be de-
modified as far as possible in their
home communities. The chief of
staff would make no prediction as to
when the first divisions would start
home. II appear probably, howev-
er, that the flow of returning troops
cen be in full tide before February 1.
Quarters win be available for them
at the environments by that time
Three Favored Divisions.
Some officers regard it as possible
certain divisions may be recalled in
advance Of the general return move
ment. General March indicated tina.
the And (Rainbow) Division, because
it is composed of men from rs
states, and in recognition of the fight
ing record 1t has made in France,
would be marked for special treat
ment. The 26th New England Ma
tional Guard and the 41st (Sunset)
Divisions are in the same class, so it
would not cause surprise, therefore,
if these three organizations should be
designated by General Pershing as
the first to return. With six weeks of
1918 left, it is possible they may be
home before New Years Day.
experimenting General March's
statement, Secretary Baker said it
would not be necessary to maintain
all the existing cantonments for de-
mobilization purposes, and that a
study was now being made of those
desirable for that purpose The 9TH
ers, with all the divisional camps, he
indicated, will be abandoned as soon
as the men now occupying them have
been mustered out.
100000 Troops in United States,
1--WE have in the United States
now something like 100000 men and
to muster out a force of that kind,
of course, will take some time" said
General March. Each man has to
be examined physically, his final ac-
counts made, so that the men may get
compensation they are entitled to-
Blank forms are being shipped to the
various camps for use as these orders
go into effect.
''In handling this problem of de-
mobilization one of the features
which had to be considered was the
subsequent retaining of men for the
regular army. when Congress passes
laws reorganizing the army. When
the war broke out there were only
limited number of such men in the
service and the greater number of
men who filled out these units were
men who voluntarily enlisted for the
period of the war. So we have offer
ed these men who came in for the pc
Rod of the war the option of re-en-
listing if they cared to.
with reference to casualties in IT.
American expeditionary forces, | ca
bled General Pershing to report in
plain English and not in code, so as
to save time, the name of every man
killed, wounded and missing up to the
time of the armistice not hitherto re-
ported. l have had an answer this
morning saying he would expedite it
in every way"
May Be Given Bonus.
It was announced that Congress
will be asked to give each man dis
charged from the army, regardless of
whether he re-enlists, bonus Of
months salary. General March
pointed out also that all soldiers are
entitled under the law to wear their
uniforms for three months after dis
charge. This will make less difficult
the immediate task Of supplying civ
ilian clothing to the demobilized
army.
5,73S in German Prisons.
Replying to a question as to the
number of American prisoners in Ger
MANY. he said, official records M TO