The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-22
Camp Is All Ready for the De-
mobilization Work.
REVIEW IS NOT PROBABLE
Officers Do Not Believe WASH
ingtOn VIII Sanction 1t.
Would Cost Huge Sum and
Keep Relatives Waiting.

Army officers in charge of demobili
zation at Camp Funston have received
instructions from Washington to be
ready to begin handling units of the
seth division the first week in June.
The instructions state that the first
units will probably reach Funston on
June 4.
According to advices that have been
received by Col f. J. Mcconnell and
Maj. u. B. Goodman. not more than
II, 900 men of the seth will be re-
turned to Funston for their final dis
charge. 1t is estimated that there
all of the men except the 10000 that
will come to Funston will be demo-
bilized at other camps.
There seems to be little enthusiasm
at Funston over the proposed grand
review of the seth that is being urged
by Governor Allen and other officials
of Kansas and surrounding states.
Officers say that they do not believe
the war department will sanction such
a plan and they state positively that
the boys will not enter into it with
any enthusiasm.
Cost Would Be Great.
One army officer said:
Il do not believe the war depart
ment will permit any review plans
that will compel the government to
keep the men here two or three
weeks. There are two reasons for
| lElS- One Is the ONSI-
head expense of holding the men-it
costing more than a dollar a day per
men to keep them-and the other is
the desire of the boys to get home to
their own folks and the desire of their
folks to have them home at the ear
lest possible moment.
TT would be mighty fine thing if
all of the men lived only a short dis
lance from here" the officer con-
tinued, but a majority of them live
a great distance from camp and ii
would be impossible for their rela-
tives to come here for any kind of a
show. Naturally they would resent
any unnecessary delays that would
keep their boys away from them when
they have waited so long for their
return"
Funston Deserted Village.
Camp Funston, only a few months
ago the home of as many as $4,000
men. is today practically a deserted
village. There are less than $500 men
at the camp at the present time, but
these men are being kept busy pre-
pairing for d repopulation when the
Eightyninth men come in.
Major Goodman has announced that
everything is in readiness for the
men and that rehabilitation will be
handled just as rapidly and efficiently
as when the 35th boys were given
their discharges. In fact, Major
Goodman believes better time can be
made with the seth because the de-
mobilization forces have their work
better systematized and have had
good rest SINCE finishing the 35th
work. However, such an excellent
showing was made in handling the
| 35th that it will be hard to do better
| under any conditions The routine
of filling out thirteen forms for every
man and giving every one a physical
| examination cannot be shortened and
| many believe it will be impossible to
make a better record than has al
ready been made.
DcmObilize 1000 a Day.
The officers in charge of the head
| quarters say they will be able to de-
| mobilize about 1000 a day
AS was done with the 35th, demo-
| bilization workers under Major Good
| man will meet the troop trains at
Kansas City and Topeka and will have
| the preliminaries of the work com
pleted by the time the trains reach
| camp. c. f. Frain, Topeka agent for
| the Union Pacific railroad, and Z. NJ
| Mates, United States railway admin
istration agent at Funston, are CO.
operating with the army officers in
| making preliminary arrangements
and Mates has his plans all COM
pleted for the handling of trains
| bringing in the units and taking the
| disc harged men to their homes