The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-03-29
RETURN TROOPS
NOT STOPPED
Proceeding Even Faster Than
First Scheduled, Asserts
Gen. March.

Washington. March 29.-Recent
events in Hungary, Gen. March an
nounced today, have resulted in no
change in the military policy of the
United States so far as the war de-
partment has been advised. Return
of troops from France is proceeding
even faster than scheduled originally,
he said, and nothing had occurred to
interfere with this movement.
Troop movements homeward during
the month of March, Gen. March said,
aggregated 244,186, against an esti-
mate previously made for the month
of 100000
Standing Army $4,000.
The war department Is going to
proceed at once with the organiza-
ton of permanent army or 100000,
as provided in the army bill intro
duced in the last congress, but which
failed of passage, Gen. March an
nounced. This procedure. however.
will be subject to any action the next
congress may take. the general
pointed out. The permanent army
will be composed OF five army corps,
consisting of twenty infantry divi-
sions and one cavalry.
Gen. March stated that on his re-
cent trip of inspection of camps he
was approached by scores OF recruit
ing officers who informed him OF an
intense desire of men to enlist IL they
could be assured foreign service. This
led, he said, to his decision to issue q
call for $4,000 volunteers for foreign
service. The term of enlistment will
be for three years and the men will
be given the privilege of electing the
country in which they wish to serve.
The intention of the war department.
he said, was only 20 relieve men from
service who wished to come home and
at the same time to accou. modate
those who wished to see foreign serv-
ice. He fatty denied that ,ne raising
of this force had any bearing upon
the bolshevik situation abroad or that
the department was contemplating
any such action because of this sit
uation. In fact, he went further and
stated that as far as the department
here was aware, the situation abroad
would in no way serve to check the
homeward flow of Americans to their
home ports.
Discharges sfrom the army to date,
the general said, total SS,649 Of
ficers and 1.460,641 enlisted men. The
total of officers, men, nurses an all
others connected with the american
expeditionary forces has now reached
total of 599,55S, he added.
Many men object. Gen. March ex
planned, to being held for parade5 or
for any other purpose. At some
camps, he said, it had taken from
five to six days to put through dis
charges. but these were now ap-
preaching the forty-eight- rate.
The chief of staff made 1t plain
that the war department was not
opposing the paradng of returning
units where the men desired to re-
main in the service for that purpose.
He said. however, that no men ould
be kept against their will to await
the arrival of other units of their
division hereafter.
Referring to the payment being
made to Great Britain for transport
ing American troops from France.
Cen. March said the figures agreed
upon were fair to both sides and did
include any of the indirect costs OF
operating the British ships.
There is a large percentage OF re-
enlistments on the Mexican border.
the general stated. large number of
the men taking advantage of the
sixty day furlough with bonus. and
then returning to service. The num-
Der of officers discharged from the