Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-01
PARADE OF 18TH
DIVISION ASSURED
War Department Pledges
Cooperation for Welcome
Of Troops Here
PLANS BEING SPEEDED
Pioneer Infantry Also to Be
Included in Big Phila-
delphia Review
PLANS BEING SPEEDED

Pennsylvania Iron Division'-the
Twenty y-eishth-will parade in Philade-
phia.
This was indicated today by the an
nouncement from Washington that Gen.
eral Peyton c.. March. chief of staff,
does not contemplate issuing an official
order requiring the discharge of the re-
turning soldiers within forty-eight hours
after their arrival at Camp Dix.
Plans for the reception to the men are
being speeded. On Thursday Governor
Sproul will meet the welcome home
committee. at the University Club. to re-
ceive the tentative plans and report on
the port facilities for handling the dts
embarkation of the 109th and 10th IN
fantry and the l0Sth Field Artillery,
the former National Guard regiments
from this city
Councils Finance Committee yester-
day amended the 100000 victory cele-
bration ordinance so that It provides for
the payment of the expenses of enter
tainment of the soldiers from this fund.
The ordinance will be introduced at the
next meeting of Councils and will be
finally passed at the second meeting late
in April. .a., 49,,
Report on HOG Island
Port officials are expecting a report
Z within the next few days regarding the
use of the huge piers in the wet basins
at Hog Island for landing the members
OF the Twenty-eighth Division the
seven piers, each 1000 feet in length
and equipped with double railroad tracks
on each side, ARE capable OF docking
four ships at one time
They made decided impre ssion on
ofiicalsS of the railroad administration
the Pennsylvania Railroad and the army
embarkation service, who inspected them
Yesterday. 1t was pt nted out that the
piers and facilities a far superior to
those at New York
Joseph +. Wideper. chairman of the
peace jubilee committee, informed Coun-
ellis that It was impossible to determine
at this time what the cost would be
for the entire celebration, and suggested
an appropriation Of 100000 for tenta-
4 tive expensesl
In reply to a question from Select
Councilman Harry J. Trainer, Chairman
Joseph p. Gaffney, OF the Finance Com.
mittee, stated that the m hey for the
celebration would come from NEST
exF, OF between $350,000 and 100000
Draft Men May Join
served with the Fifty-second Pioneer
r Infantry may join In the parade. Ar
appeal received from Colonel Reginald
II Foster, of New York, who took the
boys to France. has been received by
Mayor Smith and turned over to J. Gar.
den Guenther. secretary of the welcome
home committee The letter follows:
Sir:e-There are in the Fifty-second
Pioneer Infantry about 1000 young
men from the city of Philadelphia
ever seen They joined us at Spar
tanburg. S. c.. last June as part of
the Philadelphia draft, and together
with 1000 other young men from New
York city and New York state, made
up the Fifty-second Pioneer Infantry,
which has been through the entire
Argonne-Meuse operations attached
Ia the Fifth Army Corps This COM
mand has been cited in general orders
BY Major General c. p. Summerall,
commanding.
Today our historic corps ceases to
exist, and one by one the units will
return home Our regiment is now
about to start on the preliminary
steps towards embarkation, and
should be in the United States within
J six weeks or SOC si.
I am writing4so ask that you bear
our regiment In mind. and IL there
@rSis any local committee which will
receive the Homecoming soldiers that
they will make the usual preparation
for the Philadelphia men of this old
regiment, which has now passed its
seventieth birthday and has taken
part in the Mexican and Civil Wars,
Mexican Border Service and the
present emergency. / shall endeavor
4 % keep the Philadelphia men as