Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-17
NATION HAS SENT
1,45O,OOO TROOPS
AWAY FOR WAR
Eighty Divisions to Be in
France by July Next,
March Says
18TH BOYS IN FLANDERS
28th Division Held American
Center During Crossing
of the Ourcq

Washington, Aug. 17.-More
than 1,45O,OOO Yankees embark
ed from the United States, Cen
eral March, chief of staff, said
to-day. This includes men sent
to Italy and Siberia, as we'll as
to. France.
General March was talking
to newspaper correspondents III
his semiweekly conference He
said official reports through the
Spanish embassy give no evidence
that American prisoners in Germany
are singled out for mistreatment as
has been reported. Very detailed
reports including the daily menus
are received and show the question
of the treatment of prisoners has
largely been standardized
Further Withdrawal Probable
Discussing the battle situation in
France. the chief -of-staff drew atten-
ton to the fact that the Germans
now have voluntarily surrendered
portions of their lines at four diff
ferent places. He placed no construc-
tion of his own on this, but it was
taken as an indication of an expected
further withdrawal by the enemy. In
a general way, the lines generally
are stabilized on a front closely fol-
lowing 1916-1917 positions in Picardy
and along the Aisne-Vesle line to the
south.
Speaking of the American pro-
gram. General March said it is pro-
posed to put eighty divisions into
France by June 80, 1919, if it is pos
sible to do so as shown in the Senate
Military Committee report on the
manpower bill.
General Mccain Rewarded
General March announced that
Major General Henry b. Mccain, ad-
jutant general, as reward for eff
eient work in that office, had been
assigned to command the Twelfth di-
vision now being organized at Camp
Devens, Mass.
Brigadier General Peter c. Harris
will be made acting adjutant general.
He has been responsible for a great
reduction in paper work in the de-
pdl tllicitt IiltlutlilS TIC dboliSltiHVht
of the old muster rolls which tended
to cut away unnecessary red tape.
Coming Home For Rest
Announcement was made that Ma
jor General George B. Duncan, one
of the first American officers to win
the French war cross for distinS uish-
ed gallantry in action, was being sent
home for a rest. General March said
the case was typical and showed the
tremendous strain under which both
officers and men work at the front.
He indicated that a number of cases
similar to that of General Duncan
would follow.
2Sth Division i'm Center
Answering a question, General
March said the losses of the 10th
Regiment, (Pennsylvania troops), of
the 2Sth Division probably were pro-
portionate to the heavy fighting in
which that division had been engag-
ed. He gave no figures but pointed
out that the 2Sth Division had held
the American center during the
crossing of the Ourcq and again was
in line along the Vesle where further
sharp fighting had occurred,
French Applaud Yankee Valor
On the Nesle front where the
American troops are in line, only ar
tillery fire and raids have been re-
ported, General March said. He read
French divisional order paying
high tribute to the valor and eff
ficiency of the Second artillery brig
ade of the Second American division,
which aided the Twelfth French In
fantry in two days of fierce fighting
at Chateau Thierry.
18th Division i'm Flanders
AS to the location of other divi-
sions, General March said the 18th
Division (Pennsylvania and Virginia
troopsl. was training with the Brit
ish in Flanders; that the SSth North
Dakota. Minnesota. Iowa and Illi-
nois troops), was in process of en-
barkation, and that the SD Gala
bama, Georgia and Tennessee troops)
was in line north of Toul where il
arrived early in July. Reports do not
show that the SD Division, he said,
has yet been engaged.