The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-01-20
BRITISH LIBERALIZATION
IS IN FULL SWING
Skilled Workers Are Being Returned to
Industries in Rapidly Increasing Num-
bers--AbOut 10000 Soldiers Have
Passed Through Six Dispersal
Stations.

London, Jan. 10 Correspondence of the
Associated Press Rehabilitation of
the British army is now in full swing.
Up to the present time a total of $4,000
men have passed through the six dis
persal stations in England and Scotland,
and skilled workers are being returned
to industry in rapidly increasing num-
bers. Soon Is dispersal stations will be
in operation, each of which will be ca
pable of dealing with 1000 men every "a
hours.
According to Major General B. f. Bur.
nett Hitchcock, director general of de-
mobilization, who at Camp Wimbledon
to-day explained to representative of
the Associated Press the details of the
work, it will be long time before the
rehabilitation limit has been reached
The question of the number of men each
of the associated governments is to leave
in the enemy countries for occupation
purposes will be determined at the peace
conference.
The following classes are being demo.
bilized en- bloc here;
Miners, sick and wounded soldiers. con
valescents, men over Al who were called
Dip in the last draft, pivotal, or leading
men in industry, students and teachers.
Those that will not be demoblized are
the railway personnel in France, men
having to do with transportation gen
orally, and those in charge of horses.
Many physicians have been released,
but a sufficient force will be retained to
care for the 100000 sick and wounded
now under treatment
General Hitchcock had been working
on rehabilitation plans for Is months
prior to the signing of the armistice and
his machinery was as nearly ready for
its work as the exigencies of war per.
mitted 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 got
ready for rehabilitation" said General
Hitchcock, lis 1900. There are 10 cate
gories of men, each category having diff
ferent legal rights to be safeguarded
"The rate OF rehabilitation 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 sent
home, Every ship from France is now
bringing over troops, some from the
front. The bulk of them are miners,
$4,000 having been released from the
army to date"
Conditions of rail and road transporta-
ton in France are extremely bad he
pointed out, and the question of supply
ing the army Of occupation in Germany
was paramount.
just because man is on leave at
home doesn't entitle him, said General
to be mustered out of service
before a soldier in the field. Nor is the
question of a mans discharge left in the
hands Of commanding officers. "A com.
officer can't say" the general
well this man makes a good
waiter at the mess and we won't let him
go.
Compassionate cases." that is, where
the wife of soldier is seriously i'll or
where there are motberless children, are
being dealt with as quickly as possible.
Soldiers are bringing home vast guam
titles of luggage, One ship from Holland
had $500 tons of it, including four grand
pianos and a beehive, which was over
turned and an officer badly stung.
At the Wimbledon station the CORE,
spondent saw the working of the demo-
bilization machinery. On arrival the men
find hot meal awaiting them, no mat |
ter what the hour of day or night. Each |
receives a ration book. an unemployment
policy, railway warrant, and pamph-
let of good advice, $40, a label for the |
return of his overcoat, and a certificate !
him to draw pay and all allow.
lnces for 2S days.
Thorough Identification of the return. |
ing soldier is regarded as important. |
You would be surprised" said General
Ito know how many Tommies |
change their Identification disks with |
pals. It's the same in the French army. !
Why they do it is beyond understanding. !
We are always burying the wrong man"
The soldier turns over his rife and |
but he is permitted to |
Keep his uniform and "tin hat" He
must return his army overcoat within a |
month, receiving So for it.
One of the station huts is tailor shop |
where the soldier is given his choice Of |
one of three suits of varying weight and
pattern, made to his measurement. If !
ne doesn't want the civilian suit he is
given $3.50. The wise soldier takes the !
suit, for at present prices it would cost
lim considerably more than $50.