The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-03-10
TO KEEP 100000
DRAFTEESIN Army
PERI an II force Of 5O9,909
is Necessary.
PENNSYLVANIA LOSS HEAVY
The Keystone Outfit is Fourth in List
of Casualties. Leading All National
Guard Divisions

Washington, March 1O.-Retention
within the army OF about 100000 men,
obtained originally through the drafts
and by transfer from the national
guard is planned by the war depart
ment in building up the temporary
military establishments Of the nation.
This was definitely made known by
General March, e!.'"f of staff. who
announced the decis Oil of the war
department tha; the army would mot
be reduced under any circumstances
below 5O9,9O9" until some law was
passed fixing the permanent force.
"All the military problems that con-
front US have been carefully consider
ed, determining the number of men
necessary" General March said, land
we cannot get along without that
number-5O9, 9O9--and they will be
held"
Under existing legislation the maxi
mum war strength of the permanent
army is around 29S,OO0. The exact
figure, officers explained, cannot be
stated, since some of the staff corps,
as the Quartermaster corps, for in.
stance, are permitted wide latitude in
their expansion. Voluntary enlist
ment to fill the regular army has been
reinaugurated both in this country
and in France, General Pershing hav-
ing been authorized to transfer re-
cruits obtained from the expedition
airy forces to the regular organizations
and to release an equivalent number
of drafted men.
There will remain, however, a de-
ficiency of 100000 from the total de-
clared by the military authorities to
be the minimum consistent with the
responsibilities of the United States
These men, therefore, will have to
come from the forces which the war
department had planned to demObilize.
The selective service act, under
which many of the men to be retained
were indicted, fixes four months after
the presidential proclamation of peace
as the maximum for the retention OF
members of the temporary forces.
Military authorities foresee no COM
plication as a result of this limitation,
however, feeling certain that the final
peace treaty cannot be agreed upon
before May, at the earliest. This will
extend the enlistment period of the
draft contingents to September, be-
fore which, they feel certain, congress
will have acted to relieve the situa-
ton.
American troops actually participant
ing in engagements against the enemy
numbered 100000 men. General
March announced the figures showing
that 100000 comprised divisional
troops and divisional requirements;
100000 corps and army troops, and
$4,000 service of supply troops.
Battle casualties of the American
army in France, as shown by revised
divisional records announced by Gen.
9fH March. totaled 240,197 These
include killed in action, wounded,
missing in action and prisoners. There
probably will >be some slight further
revision as final reports are received.
The second regular division showed
the. greatest losses in the revised list.
with 24.429. The first division came
next, with 23,973.
The twenty eighth Pennsylvania
troops led national guard and national
army divisions, being fourth in the
list. with 14,417 The thirty-secOnd
(Alichigan and wisconsin, was fifth,
with 14,26S.
In the new list the forty-secOnd d.
vision (rainbow) reported total Of
BATTLE casualties of 12,262; the seven
ty-seventh (New York Metropolitan
national army, 9423: the twentysixth
(New England), 1855: the twenty
seventh (New York;, 1910; seventy
eighth (western New York, New Jer-
sey :and Delaware), S133.