New-York tribune., 1919-02-24
Gen. O'Ryan Will Be Of
fered Command of New
State Organizati ION
A. E. F. Men Preferred
Vanderbilt, Debevoise and
Wilson and Wingate To
Be Among Brigade Chiefs

OVlslon' now awaiting transports in
France, the New York State Guard
Will be reorganized Immediately.
Details of the REORGANIZATION nro-
gramme were learned yesterday from
nigh officer of the state guard.
L. The present militia, as a state
force only, will pass out of existence.
2. General John Francis O'Ryan.
Immediately upon being discharged
from Federal service, will be offered
the command of the new state mill
tary organization.
3. The reorganization will be ef-
fected on lines similar to those which
created the 9th Division.
4. 1t is expected that the brigade
commands will be offered to general
officers of the 9th that have seen
service in France. This contemplates
the retirement or placing on the re-
serve of the two general officers from
New York City, Brigadier General
George R. Dyer, commanding the 1st
Brigade, who is the ranking officer of
the New York State Guard, and
Brigadier General James II. Robb,
commanding the I'd Brigade, with
headquarters in Brooklyn.
Three Generals from A. Eff.
The general officers who have seen
Federal service and who have been
part Of the A. E. F. are Briga-
dier General Cornelius Vanderbilt, who
probably will command the 1st Brig
ade; Brigadier General Chsrles H.
Debevoise, who probably will command
the I'd Brigade, and Brigadier General
George A. Wingate, who will command
the artillery. All three entered the Fed
eral service as colonels
Brigadier General James Wilson,,
who has been the commandant at Camp
Wadsworth since Major General Guy
Carleton was transferred, probably will
command one of the brigades from up
state.
Every officer of the old National
charge from the United States army
will be entitled by virtue of his ser
vice to return to the National Guard
Division of the state, on the active
or reserve list. Preference will be
given former National Guard officers
who have seen combat experience
whenever there are two or more of
ficers of equal grade seeking the same
place.
New Juniors May Qualify
In this connection it was pointed out
yesterday that scores of the junior Of
ticers who have been serving with the
state forces were cOmmiss ioned with
out examination. They will be brought
before examining boards and given an
opportunity to qualify for their COM
missions. If they pass the specified
tests and there are vacancies they will
be given assignments Immediately.
Failing to qualify their names will be
eliminated from the roster of officers.
The report of the commission, of
which General Cornelius Vanderbilt
was chairman, has been found accept
able by the judge advocates depart
ment. This means that the state forces
will be brought to the strength speci-
fed in the old National Guard law, and
then will be presented to the Federal
government for muster.
Several commanding officers of state
units have expressed their willingness
to step aside for the men who have
been overseas, and it would surprise
few of those we'll informed on mill
tary matters if the colonels in COM
mand of units now overseas took charge
of their old armories very soon.
Haywood Slated for Old Post
Colonel William Hayward, who COM
manded the 18th, the first of the old
New York State National Guard division
units to return, is in line for his old
post. Just what will happen in the
case of the coast artillery unit, which,
though of the National Guard, were
not part of the division, is not
known. Colonel Sydney Grant, who
commanded the old 18th, the 59th while
where he is acting as commandant of
port town.
The 18th Infantry was organized
after the old National Guard division
was completed as unit; but being an
infantry organization it was attached
to the division, as were other surplus
infantry regiments, like the old 47th.
Colonel Henry c. Barthmann, of
the new 47th, is likely to find himself
in peculiar situation. He was the
predecessor of Colonel Z. E. Jannicky
as commanding officer of the old 47th..
In the Federal service Colonel jan
nicky resigned after an altercation
with Major General Organ. He re-
ceived an honorable discharge, and,
by virtue of the reorganization plan,
automatically becomes entitled to a
place on the reserve. Whether he
would be candidate for Colonel
Barthmann's place is not known. The
two men have been intimate friends,
and when Colonel Jannicky was draft
ed into the Federal service he in
duced Colonel Barthmann to resume
his old command, so that Colonel
Barthmann was at once the predeces-
sor and successor of Colonel Jan
nicky.
Large Reserve List Expected
Other regiments will present SIM
liar complications, and it is believed
the reorganization will create an i'm
mense reserve list.
Brigadier General Charles Berry.
the adjutant general, has issued a gem
eral order to the commanding officers
OF the state units to make things as
smooth as possible for the reinduc
tion of the former National Guard Of
ticers and men into the new National
Guard. Parades and ceremonies ore
contemplated with the idea of dem
onstrating to the returning men that
their work has not been forgotten.
Ap order is to be issued, based on
recent legislative enactment. per-
mitting the men now in Federal SER
vice to count their time with the
United States army in computing