The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-05
BAKER PERMITS
OF 77TH
After Hearing Protests Secre-
tary Reverses Decision of
General March.
MEN TO HAVE CHOICE
Bulk Of Division New Workers
and Probably Will Elect
to March.
MEN TO HAVE CHOICE

New York, after all. will have an
opportunity Of seeing the Seventy
seventh DiSislon-the metropolis own
division of drafted men. which saw
more fighting than any other National
Army division in the American Army
parade up Fifth avenue.
Newton d. Baker, Secretary of War
reversed yesterday the decision Of Gen
March after hearing emphatic protests
from the Mayors Committee, SEN
ator Wadsworth, the Rev DR.. Will
lam T. Manning OF the Home Auxiliary
Association. Rabbi Joseph Silvermar
and John Fl. Halleck. chairman of the
1s9 draft boards OF the city. He an
nounced that the parade would be
held.
Secretary Bakers announcement
which abolishes the ruling OF Gen
March that the troops could not pa
rade because it would conflict with the
rule requiring that they be mustered
out within forty eight hours after
their debarkation declared that 1t will
be left to the soldiers themselves
whether they parade. The men of the
Seventy-seventh will be given theiI
choice of parading or of taking
advantage of the forty-eight hour
mastering out rule. Mr.. Baker said
he believes that enough men will will.
lingly remain in New York to make
the parade a success, since most oi
the soldiers of the division have their
homes in this city.
Anyway" he said, ''the division will
not reach New York until late in May or
early in June, so the matter may now
be disposed of by emphasizing the War
Departments unwillingness to go coun-
ter to the views OF patriotic citizens
rule"
Besides the protests in the form OF
letters and kilograms which were sent
to Washington from New York, Lieut.
Col. Douglas Campbell of the advance
party OF the Seventy-seventh went tc
tary Baker yesterday. He was informed
that the War Department had no OBJ
jections to the parade, but that soldiers
who came to the division from othei
parts OF the country as requirements
would be mustered out Immediately q
they so desired and sent TO their homes
The great bulk of the division. however
is composed OF New York city men.
-a6 ..
start for Washington to-day to presen
| the claims OF New York for a parade o.
the conquerors of the Argonne Forest
| Dr. William T. Manning and the May
ors Committee had evolved a scheme fol
| a parade of the division after the mel
| had been mustered out, II one was no
| permitted by the War Department be
| fore, and John H. Halleck had prepared
| cablegram to President Wilson pro
| testing against the War Department.
| action in discriminating against the Sew
| enty-seventh by not allowing a parade
when one was permitted for the Twenty
seventh. which was neither in Franco
nor in the fighting line as long AS tn
Seventy-seventh. A mass meeting o
protest to be attended by the officials o
| the draft boards had also been planned
| Gen. March was emphatic in rulinI
| . Cain parades for any of the returning
divisions except the Forty-second (Rain
bowl Division. The reason for this wa
that on his inspection trip through tn
country he had found that many of tn
men strongly objected to being held Il
camp to await the arrival OF other unit
in order to parade. He declared tina
tho men wanted 10 be discharged an
get back to their homes as soon as pos
sibie. II was because of this that tn
arrangements were made to get the me-
out of service within forty-eight hour
| after their arrival.