New-York tribune., 1919-04-07
Committees of Men and
Women to Bcsicge Secre.
tary on His Arrival Here
To-day on Way to France
East Side Plans Protest
La Cuardia to Continue
Plea at Sea, if Necessary:
$50 Mothers TO See March

When Secretary of War Baker ar
r'ves in New York this morning to en-
bark for France he will be given evi-
dence at first hand OF the citys over
whelmlng desire that the 18th, its own
division, shall be reviewed as a unit
upon its arrival home next month.
committees representing the divis-
lonal auxiliary associations will wait
upon him and urge the advsability of
modifying the attitude of the general
staf1, which has taken the position that
a divisional parade is impossible. The
East Side, which furnished more than
half the men for the division, and the
women relatives of the soldiers will
add their voices to the general pro
test against the general staff ruling
and If definite promise that the di-
vision shall parade cannot be obtained
before sailing time the siege of the
Secretary will be continued at sea-.
This will be done through the me.
dunn of Major Fiorello H. La Guardia
Representative in Congress from the
14th New York District, who will sail
on the same ship, the Levathan, with
the House Committee on Military AT
falrs, to inspect American army camps
in France.
Arrogant, Says La Guardia
Mr.. La Guardia, after declaring the
general staff to be arbitrary and ar
rogant, yesterday announced himself
IN thorough sympathy with the city's
demand to be allowed to see the di-
vision, which is peculiarly its own, in
parade: He said the city's demand
would be needed if made in unmistak
able terms.
Senator William NJ. Calder, who tele
graphed the Secretary his views yes
terday, is expected to be among those
who Will accompany the committee
which also will include the Rev. DR.
W llllam /. Manning, rector of Trinity
honorary chaplain Of the division, and
chairman of the Home Auxiliary of the
77th Division.
Mrs. Nelson Henry and other repre-
sentatves Of the women relatives OF
the soldiers, who have shown them
selves more eager than their men col
leagues for review, likewise expect
to see the Secretary. She will tell him
that the mothers, wives. sisters and
/
press assurance of review. and that
they purpose to send a delegation of
100 women to Washington next week
to lay siege to General March. the
chlef of the general staff, until such
an assurance is obtained
Appeal to President
Meanwhile the city's demand has
been called directly to the attention
n
message to the Pres ldent the first of
volume which promises to shove,
the temporary White House in Paris
unless the interviews with Mr. Baker
to day produce results the East Side
welcoming committee respectful,
suggested to Mr.. Wilson the wisdom
Of reversing General March on the
whole question of reviews for home
coming troops.
May we say the message read
that 1t would be polite not only to
have the 77th parade, but to have the
returning soldiers, all of whom have
won the admiration of the world
parade in their respective communities
throughout the United States"
Another cable message sent overseas
was from the 3O7th Regiment Auxil-
iary. 1t was addressed to the soldiers
of that unit in France, and assured
them that their families and friends
in New York would see that the
metropolitan division received the
same sort Of welcome that was ac-
corded the 9th.
Women Plan Meetings
The announcement yesterday by Mrs.
Nelson Henry that the women relatives
of the 77ths men would take a leading
part in the fight to assure the review
next month evoked much enthusiasm
among the various auxiliaries inter
ested in the division. Scores of organi-
cations made up of relatives of the
men are preparing to hold meetings
throughout this week to select the del
egates which Mrs. Henry said should
be in Washington by next Monday
ready to besicgc the War Department
until it is ready to rccedc from the
position announced by General March
All organizations affiliated with the
Home Auxiliary Of the 77th Division,
whose headquarters are at lS9 Madison
Avenue, have received assurances of
the support of the entire New York
delegation in Congress.
In an address before the Institu-
tional Synagogue, 10th Street and
Fifth Avenue, Senator William M. Cal
der declared that the glorious record
of the division in the Forest of Ar
gonne, entitled it, as a right, not as a