The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-26
BUT REGULAR
ARMY UNITS HOME
WITHIN 6 MONTHS
PerShing Sends Estimates
Showing Future Movement
of American Troops From
Eur0De.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-Gen. Per-
shing has notified the war department
that divisions now in the American ex-
peditionary forces excepting those with
regular army designations would be re-
turned to the United States in the order
Of the arrival Of their respective divi-
sion headquarters in France. This was
interpreted as meaning that all divisions
except the First, Second, Third, Fourth,
Fifth, Sixth and Seventh would be
returned as shipping was available.
Combat troops not assigned to diyi-
sions viii be returned In the order in
which their services can be spared and
a similar policy has been adopted re-
garding service Of supply troops except
that as far as possible these also will
be returned In the order of arrival in
France.
Gen, Pershing said he estimated the
movement OF troops, based on tonnage
known to be available and on the Ger
man shipping soon to become available,
as follows;
March, $4,000; April, 221,0O0: May,
24S,0G0; June, 207, 900,
The general said that based on these
estimates divisions would be returned In
the following order.
March, 9th, 30th, S5th, 3Tth and 91st;
| April, Goth, S3d, SGD, 35th and 42d; May,
32d, 28th. 33d, seth and 18th; June, seth
Goth, 29th and 18th.
Home by August.
Gen, Pershing's message shows he has
laid out a schedule which win bring
| practically all Of the troops except those
in the seven regular army units home
by not later than the middle OF August.
This would leave in France, provided
! the divisions and their auxiliary sup
| porting units were maintained at full
war strength, approximately 800, 900
men after all the national guard and
the national army divisions had been
withdrawn.
The schedule of embarkation forward
| ed by Gen. PershinG stated that the
program for July would be announced
later, and, that previously announced as
signments Of divisional units either to
early convoy or to prepare for einbarka-
ton had not been disturbed.
with the exception of some four diVi-
sions not included in today's list or
| previously mentioned as destined for
| early return, divisions other than those
mentioned In today's message have been
s%keletonized and are coming nome i'll
| widely scattered units with the major
| ity Of their enlisted personnel absorbed
| by other divisions or have already set
| sail, as is the case with the 4lst, 92d
| and possibly with some portions of the
eth. 1t wal assumed here that the dt-
visions not included In previous orders
or in today's dispatch would be assigned
| to transportation for JAY.
1t has been understood here for some
| time that army officials have been pro-
jecting their supply and maintenance
| plans for the army in France on the
basis of 800, 900 men after midsummer.
The program now mapped out by Gen.
Pershing conforms to these estimates,
| some Of which look ahead to the posi-
| bility that even a force Of that size
| might continue In France for more than
another year. Such estimates, however,
are due to the necessity of providing far
in advane for certain types of military
| supplies rather than to any definite
| knowledge as to how the regular divi-
visions may be retained on French or
German soil.