Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-18
PROBABLY WILL Dc FIRST OF
ARMY or OCCUPATION ne.
LEASED FROM sERvIce.
iNslsTENr DEMANDS
FOR RETuRN OF VETS
Honor Of Entering Germany Has Been
Conferred ana Now Men who Saw
Hard Fighting Wish to Return TO
Civil Life--iswa Ranks Thirteenth
Among States in Number Of Troops
IBy b. G. Doughertyj

division, with the 16Sth infantry or
old Third Iowa national guard reyi-
ment. is confidently expected to be
tho frst division in the army of oe-
cupation that General Pershins will
designate for return home, according
to speculation in army circles here.
The insistent demand from congress
that more speed be attained in the re-
turn home of American troops, while
partially answered by Chief of Staff
March In his Saturday interview, in
which he detailed the additional ships
that would soon be in troop carrying
work, is believed by army men to be
directed more particularly to 'the re-
turn of the veteran troops which now
compose the army Of occupation rather
than the divisions which are now be-
ing transported home.
Numerous representatives have urg ed
on the floor of the house that the
Rainbow and other divisions that were
among the pioneer American fighting
organizations in France be replaced by,
troops that have not felt the brunt Of
attack of the enemy. Some speakers
have gone so far as to assert that the
obligation does not rest with the
American forces to do police work In
occupied territory and have demanded
that steps be taken Immediately to re
turn to this country the veterans who
were among the first in the trenches
and now seem destined to be the last
out Of Europe
A Co
Pershing designated the veteran uIvl-
sions for the army of occupation be-
cause of the two-fold reason that they
deserve the honor of going into Ger
many and very rightly because they
demonstrated in the fighting against
the Germans that they were capable
Of demanding respect and submission
from the enemy peoples.
While members of congress
thoroughly agreed with this view.
they nevertheless declare that the
honor Of going into Germany has now
been conferred on these troops, and
that there are sufficient other troops
in France to serve in the capacity Of
guardians Of the peace in occupied,
territory"
All Want to Come Home.
Letters Iowa and other congress-
men have received from the American
troops abroad have all contained yelled
references to the desire of the soldiers
to return home. Members Of the 16Sth
who have written to congressman
Dowell and Sweet. who visited them
when in Europe last year. have not
openly expressed any hope that the
Iowa troops would soon be back in
the states, yet to read between the lines
of the communications one can easily
realize that the boys have had all of
Europe they desire.
Iowa Ranks Thirteenth.
How generally Iowa has responded
to- the colors was reflected in the
chart published by the war department
Saturday showing the number of
Hawkeye boys that served in the army
from March 81, 1917, to Nov. II, 1918.
All inductions thru the draft, all en-
listments and all accessions from. the
national guard drafted into federal
service Aug. 5, 1917, from Iowa totaled
9s,7S1, ranking thirteenth in the list of
states as far as numbers who have
entered the service. OF all the states
insular possessions, and inductions in
the service by the neutrality-suspicious.
airy forces. Iowa was only topped by
New York. Pennsylvania, Illinois.
Ohio, Texas, Michigan, massachusetts,.
Missouri, California. Indiana, New
Jersey and Minnesota.
The war department also published
figures showing the rapidity of the de-
mobilization, troops being returned to
civil life thru Camp Dodge with more
speed than any other camps except
Taylor and Grant Up to Feb. 1.
51.267 officers and men have been mus
tered out at Camp Dodge, denoting
that the mastering out machinery at
the huge Des Moines camp has been
working in excellent order.