The New York herald., 1922-03-21
Last American Soldiers From
Germany Expected to BE
Home by July /.
ALLIES NOT CONSULTED
Order Like Bolt From Blue on
Eve of New Note on War
Debts to U. s.
Special Dispatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.


Washington, ID. G.. March 20.
President Harding to-day issued an
order recalling all American troops
now stationed in Germany. The
order goes into effect at once, but
Secretary of War Weeks explained
that the evacuation will be accom-
plished by the regular army trans
ports now in service, and will not be
completed until July Of this year.
When this order is executed only
the soldiers engaged in the graves
registration service, now nearly com
pleted, will be left on European soil,
and the work of the American expedi-
tionary force will have been ended.
Despite an official statement to the
effect that the order has nothing to
do with the failure of the allied
Finance Ministers at Paris to allow
the American claim for the mainte-
nance of American troops out of the
first German reparations 1t is being
situation presented by the failure Of
Roland w. Boyden to obtain ac-
ceptance of the American proposal
There have been no negotiations
with the allied governments con-
cerning the complete withdrawal Of
the American troops.
The order to withdraw the troops is
expected to have an important bear
ing upon the negotiations which are
still continuing for the collection Of
the s241, 900, 900 claimed by this Cow
ernment for the maintenance Of It's
troops.
While press reports coming out OF
Paris have said that the Allies have
raised the question as to whether the
United States has any rights in its
relationship with Germany because Of
its failure to ratify the Versailles
treaty this Government has received
no official information to that effect.
SO far as the official record Of the
presentation OF the claim is concerned
Mr.. Boyden presented it for this Gov
ernment to the allied Finance Minis
ters. They made a reservation re-
specting American rights and referred
the claim to the allied Governments.
New Note TO the Allies.
The State Department is preparing
note concerning the claim which it
believes should be regarded as sacred
without agreement. but which is guar
anteed by the terms Of the armistice
and by the Versailles treaty and by
the treaty with Germany.
However definitely the order TO re-
turn all troops from Germany to the
United States may be separated from
the incident OF the Rhine claim there
Is no doubt it will be interpreted as
being connected with it.
IL was announced officially also that
the decision to withdraw the troops has
nothing to do with efforts now being
made IN Congress to reduce the size OF
the army.
men now in the Army OF Occupation Is
approximately 1000. on February l6
OF this year the President determined
upon q reduction OF the Army of Occu-
patton to i99 officers and 2,2l7 men. and
this reduction has been In progress since
that time. II is estimated II would have
been completed by April /.
Under the new order the process of
bringing back a number OF officers and
men upon each army transport leaving
European ports will be continued until
the entire force is evacuated.
The announcement of the Presidents
order Withdrawing the troops from the
Rhine came in the form Of an official
statement by Secretary Weeks.
Secretary weeks's statement.
Some months ago" the statement
said. "the President directed that the
troops now In Europe, AZ Mast those IN
excess of two thousand officers and men,
should be returned 10 the United states
by the regular transport servIs, which
was then and is now In operf Ion. lie
has now directed that the Service be
continued until all the troops have been
brought TO the United states, which
would mean that before the end Of the
fiscal year the entire force will have
been returned. Additional transports
will not be operated TO complete this
movement"
Commenting upon the announcement
the Secretary emphasized the fact that
no specific recent developments were re-
sponsible for the Presidents decision
THE President all along has intended
that the Army of Occupation should be
brought home as soon a. possible he
explained, ''and to-day's order merely is
part OF the carrying out of that policy
Besides President Hardings order of
to-day and his previous order y Feb
ruary rs, there was ono other order
bringing home considerable number *
the forces Of tho Rhine u was issued
In October or 1927 and called Tor re-