El Nuevo mexicano., 1919-01-23
notice
As TO DISCHARGES
coNcREssMAN WALTON RE.
cElyEs LETTER FROM ADJU.
TANTe GENERAL or. INTEREST
TO MEN WITH FORCES ABROAD.

~ Nv EhEQ
TO MEN WITH FORCES ABROAD
Following is a letter just received
by Congressman Walton from the ad
jutant general With reference to the
discharge Of enlisted or drafted mer
now with the forces abroad:
War Department, The AdjutanI
Generals office, Washington, ID. G.
January 16, 1874
Honorable William B. Walton
House OF Representatives.
my dear Mr. Walton:
The secretary of war directs me
to inform you as follows:
instructions have been sent to
General Pershing to the effect that he
Is authorized to take action, as indi
Gated below, in the cases of certain
enlisted or drafted men now with the
forces abroad:
II. Any enlisted or drafted ma ION
his WI application who entered the
service since April /, 1917, and whose
submits proof that there is sickness
or other distress in his family that
would warrant discharge may be sent
to the United States for immediate
discharge.
"2. Any enlisted or drafted man
with his consent) who entered the
service since Apail 1, 1917, and whose
discharge is requested by a member
Of his family or other interested or
responsible person, when such re-
quest is accompanied by convincing
testimony, that there Is sickness or
other distress n<the soldiers family
that would warrant discharge, may be
sent to the United States for imme-
date discharge.
~. Any officer or enlisted or draft
ed man who entered the service since
April ], 1917, and who submits good
and sufficient reasons for requesting
discharge in Europe, may be dis
charged in Europe; provided that the
officer or soldier valves any claim
fos sea travel allowances from Eu-
rope to the United States. Officers
and men of this class shall be paid
travel allowances from station to the
port Of e~mbarkation and from Hobo
ken, New Jersey to the. place of en-
try into the service.
"A. Any enlisted man who entered
the service on or before April /. 1917
may be sent to the United States for
furlough when sickness or other dis
tress, necessitating the mans pres
ence with his family, is clearly indi-
Gated.
%. The public in the United States
is being informed that the above in
struetions are being sent to General
Pershing and that requests for dis
charge under these provisions should
be sent direct TO the commanding gen
eral American Exneditionary Forces,
by letter or cable. The pub.
lie is also given to understand that
discharges or furloughs will be given
only in exceptional cases. Requests
for discharge must clearly show that
the sickness is of such a critical ma
as will require the soldiers i'm
mediate presence or that distress in
a mans family is such as cannot be
relieved by allotments of many made
under the war risk insurance act.
THE secretary, of war desires so to
you further that he is most
anxious to provide for the release Of
soldiers when sickness or other dis
tress is clearly indicated or when it
Is manifestly to the interest of the sol
to be discharged in Europe rath-
than have him return to the United
States before discharge, and with this
end in view, he has caused the afore-
said instructions to be prepared. The
secretary believes that these instruc-
tons will take care of all needy cases
and he asks your cooperation and as
.sistance in order that the aforesaid
instructions clearly intended for ex
ceptional cases, may not result in
thousands of applications for dis
when discharge is not warrant
I'd by actual conditions.
yours very truly,
(Signed( "P. @. HARRIS,
"The Adjusant General"