The Cordova daily times., 1919-01-25
DEM0BILIZINC
 OF BRITISH IN
 FULL SWING

|
 full swing. Up to the present time
 through the six dispersal stations in
 a total of SO,00O men have passed
 England and Scotland, and skilled
 workers are being returned to indus
 try in rapidly increasing numbers
 Soon fifteen dispersal stations will be in operation. each of which will be
 capable of dealing with 2O0O men every twenty-four hours
 According to Major General B F. Burnett-1itchCock. director general of demobilization, who at Camp Wimble. don today explained to a representa- tive of the Associated Press the de tails of the work. it will be a long time before the demobilization limit has been reached. The question of the number of men each of the asso- ciated governments is to leave in the
 enemy countries for occupation pur- poses will be determined at the peace
 conference. The following classes are
 being demobiized on bloc here
 Miners. sick and wounded soldiers
 convalescents. men over 41 who were called up in the last draft, "pivotar' or leading men in industry. students and teachers
 Those that will not be demobilized for the present are the railway per
 sonnel in France. men having to do with transportation generally. and
 those in charge of horses
 Many physicians have been released
 but q sufficient force will be retained
 to care for the 5OOOO sick and wound.
 ed now under treatment
 , General Hitchcock had been work ing on Rehabilitation plans for eighteen months prior to the signing of the armistice, and his machinery
 was as nearly ready for it's work as
 the eXigencies of the wal permitted. The main outlines of his scheme were
 borrowed from the measures taken
 by the Japanese after their war with
 Russia
 The actual number of units to be
 gotten ready for demobilization, said
 General Hitchcock. lis 17,000. There are nineteen categories of men, each category having different legal rights
 to be safeguarded
 The rate of demobilization depends : upon transportation facilities. More and more ships are being converted into transports. and they soon will exceed berth accommodation at the various ports from which the men are being stnt home Every ship from France is now bringing over troops, some from the front The
 bulk Of them are miners, 25.0O0 having | been released from the army to date . l Conditions of rail and road trans | portation in France are extremely bad | he pointed out, and the question of
 supplying the army of occupation ir ! Germany was paramount
 Just because a man is on leave al
 home doesn't entitle him, said General
 Hitchcock to be mustered out of serv s ice before a soldier in the field. Nor :: is the question of n mans discharge :: left in the hands of the commanding officers. "A commanding officer can't say" the general continued. Well this 1: man makes good waiter at the mess : and We won't let him go'" !: "Companionate cases" that is, where the wife of soldier is seriously : ill or where there are motherleess chil- dren, are being dealt with as quickly !: as possible
 Soldiers are bringing home vast !: quantities of luggage. One ship from !: Holland had 2,SOO tons of it. includ-
 ing four grand pianos and beehive,
 which was overturned and an officer
 badly stung
 At the Wimbledon station the cor
 respondent saw the working of the Rehabilitation machinery. On arrival
 the men find a hot meal awaiting them, no matter what the hour of day or night. Each receives a ration book, an unemployment policy, railway warrant, pamphlet of good advice, SlO, label for the return of his over coat, and certificate entitling him to draw pay and all allowances for 2S days.
 I Thorough Identification of the re-
 turning soldier is regarded as impor-
 tant. You would be surprised" said
 General Hitchcock, ito know how
 many Tommies change their identifica-
 ton disks with pals. It's the same
 in the French army. Why they do 1t
 Is beyond understanding. We are al
 ways burying the wrong man" The soldier turns over his rifle and accoutrements, but he is permitted to keep his uniform and "tin hat" He must return his army overcoat within month, receiving S5 for it.