Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-03-13
DENIES STORIES
OF OEbAUCHERY

Major General Clarence r. Edwards
made his first public address at the
gymnasium of the University of Yer
mont a few minutes after his arrival al
the union station from Barre yesterday
morning. The university battalion was
drawn up to attention as the car con.
tanning General Edwards drove past or
it's way to the gymnasium. General
Edwards was introduced by Dear
George II. Perkins, acting president OF
the University.
The address by the general was of ar
interesting nature to one and all and
the attention of the audience. which was
of the battalion from the university
spectators, was held for more than ar
hour.
The general said in part:
II wish that / could start my military
career all over again and begin at the
University Of Vermont and learn under
its famous traditions. In France every
American soldier and officer longed for
the sight of a real American girl and
even after being home for so long they
still look good to u.s. l advise you girls
members of the 26th division to come
home before you select your life course
for the boys of that division will make
excellent husbands. They have patience
and every quality to make ideal hus-
bands.
About a year ago New England
States heard a minister. who travelled
considerable talk about how the New
England or Yankee division had to
lock UP $500 of it's men every night be-
cause Of rum. Another man spoke in
various places and said among other
things that a mother could not allow
her daughter to marry or associate with
a 26th divisoon man because he was un-
clean. Both are the most profound and
distinct lies that ever came from a
tongue. They are the most awful lies
that ever were uttered.
II had about 10000 troops under my
command in the 2sth division. In that
entire division there was no drunkenness
or even excessive drinking. There were
only six cases Of disease among the
entire 10000 men, The army court mar
tials records show that three and nine
tenths per cent. of any body of 900
troops are tried for some misdcmeanor,
no matter how slight. In the Yankee
division this percentage was one half Of
one per cent.
How did ] do it? I asked them TO be
good When they sailed I had an order
read to them which did the trick 1t
was not an order begging them to be
good or was it handing them lovey -dovey
stun l wiped out all existing punish
ments then in force and all started anew
Then ! issued an order which told the
men what was expected of them and
that If they did not measure up to what
was expected serious consequences
would follow.
II had to create the New England
division from the national guard units
of New England 1t was prima rily a
move to defend New England from In
vasion. Ships had to be filled and so the
New England division raced with an
other division. the Rainbow to sec
which should get in France first We
did
THE Yankee division was new pro-
Ject in the eyes of the American army
1t was the smallest number Of men ever
sent on project in warfare alone The
division was created with pencil In
my office by myself. There were many
regiments of infantry. artillery, etc.
that had TO be changed about completely
in order to form complete division.
Time was short.
For the 10lst ammunition train took
Green Mountain boys for | thought they
knew how to handle horses They did.
For the motor transport train. etc,
stole from the coast artillery. For this
the war department telegraphed me
and asked whore ! got the authority.
| told them as commander of the north
eastern war department and commander
OF the 26th division ! ordered them into
the division. The war department wired
that 1t disa pproved of my action and
demanded that the troops be sent back
to their batteries. They were then en-
route to France and did not 60.
THE way the 26th division got off TO
France was wonderful. sent an officer
to New York and Canada to get all the
ships for transports that he could He
got them somehow and from various
camps in New England every night or so
for while some regiment would stcaI
away and eventually land on a TRANSPORT
So completely did the
division fool the war department that
for four months after I was in France
with the division my mail was sent to
y. c.
over there ] had no time to train
them They had not been trained in
| had to travel to the
various fronts and from my experience
give the boys some information as to
what was expected OF them.
Il am very proud to say that the
Yankee division displayed GO per cent.
more courage, daring, etc. under fire
than even ], an experienced military
man, had even dared dream Of The
Battle Hymn of the Republic" I chose
10 be the division song and ordered
every colonel to teach his officers the
tune and words and then in turn to
leach the soldiers. That put the pep
behind the old New England spirit and
hardly word of complaint came from
anywhere In the division. despite all the
hardships the men went through
II believe in military training of
universal nature I believe every boy of
a certain age should be compelled to give |
10 the government one year Of his youth |
N the military service, After that year
Ia up ! believe that he should not be |
asked to give another minute to the |
government for such training unless |
here is grave need for men,"