Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-11-11

marines to their bases, Allied and
American shipping nee more may
sail the seven seas without fear of
m~olestation and in disregard of the
regulations made necessary by Ger
many's unrestricted warfare. There
will be no more running at night
without lights, with attendant dan
gers Of collisions and zig-zagging and
deviation from established shipping
routes.
Much of the shipping used for war
purposes will be freed for peace time
commerce Inc there will follow a
GRADUAL relaxation of h restrictions
posed upon the peoples of the Allied
countries. These changes will not
come Immediately, however, for it is
the purpose Of the American and En-
tente governments to cooperate with
Germany, Austria, Bulgaria and Tur-
key, as we'll as with Belgium. Serbia
and Rumania, in furnishing as far as
possible the food and other supplies
necessary for the civilian popula-
tons of those countries.
These considerations Of world
peace, important as they are, must be
adjusted as they develop. They could
not be planned in advance as had the
breaking up OF the military forces of
the United States, Great Britain and
France, and the orderly return of the
millions of these soldiers to their
civilian status.
In this country the problem has
been taken up with reference to its
two chief phases: The strictly mill
tary, havin~ to do with the demobili-
cation of the army n its safe re-
turn to America and the industrial,
which deals only with the infiltration
of the soldiers into the n of labor
after they have been released from
the army. A third problem of de-
mobilization will deal with the mobil-
lied industries of the United States.
The military authorities have had
under consideration for some time the
subject Of rehabilitation Of the army,
but the plan which will be used has
not yet been officially approved. The
breaking up Of the American ex-
peditionary forces now numbering
two and n quarter millions OF men
will begin in France If this plan is
adopted. The program entails the
breaking. up of h large military
units into segments governed solely
by the location Of the home OF the
individual soldier.
The United States will be divided
into districts each of which Is to be
fed by one or more Atlantic ports
ing officers Of divisions will be in
structed to detach, for instance, men
from the first rehabilitation dis
|~trict" which might include men from
Maine and Massachusetts, and entrain
them for a specified French port
where adequate shipping will be wait
ing. These vessels will proceed di-
rectly to the ports selected for the
first district and, disembarking their
passengers, will return or a routine
schedule to meet the next detachment
of soldiers for that territory. -.
By carefully controlling the return
ing shipments, military authorities
believe that they can to a great de-
gree regulate the flood of discharged
soldiers SO that no single section OF
the country will be swamped.
The work of returning soldiers to
their former civilian status in the in
dustrial life Of the nation has been
turned over TO the department of la
Dor and is being handled by a special
committee handled by Felix Frank
%furter. An organization is ready for
the use of authorities in the same ma
chinery which has carried out the
provision of the work or fight or
DER anu IL is UNDERSTOOD IHdI IHlS Will
be used largely In h a of finding
positions for the men. Under this
plan, each local board will be con-
stituted a central labor Office for the
district in which it is situated and will
place the men who were sent by it to
J the army. in the positions found va
cant.
While full authority is held by the
, war department for the demobiliza-
5 ton of the armed forces, the return
of'the nations modified industries to
" a peace basis. it is thought will neces-
state important legislation by con-
! gress to prevent a period Of acute dis
ruption in business. Oficials here ex-
pect that congress will be called upon
soon to consider a "demobilization
bill' which will deal with this and
: kindred problems.
Designation Of the units OF the
army to remain in France over the
period of settlement has not been
: taken by the Wa department. 1t
should be realized, officials point out,
that even after terms Of peace have
been signed a work of stupendous
magnitude will remain. Millions of