Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-28
18TH DIVISION MEN
SAY GENERAL RIGHT
Declare Criticism Was Prop
erly Directed Against
Department.
BY CHARLES M. o'NEILL.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BOSTON. January 20 (NANA).-
No criticism, direct or implied, is made
Of the 26th Division by Gen. Pershing
in the installment Of his memoirs print
ed Monday.
This is the opinion expressed by Of
ficers of the 26th Division, who were
asked to explain the significance of
Gen. PerShing's cable to the War De-
partment In october, 1917, wherein he
complained:
Manner in which these regiments
, came to France does not indicate much
Improvement over conditions Spanish
American War"
Carried Full Equipment.
DR.. Frederick E. JONES, Quincy, Mass,
who, as colonel, commanded the 10lst
Sanitary Train, comprising all the med
zeal units OF the Yankee Division, said
THE medical units of the 26th ar
rived in France with all the equipment
War Department organization orders
permitted. For instance, sailed from
Hoboken on troop ship and MY horse
was transported to Newport Jews, Va,
and went to France on cattle boat
with other horses
Obviously Gen. Pershing's criticism
Of the manner in which these regi-
ments came to France Is directed at
the War Departments method of trans
portation, with which the division had
and could have-nothing to do.
Still. do think that his criticism
seems somewhat far-fetched, for 1t ap-
pears to me that men and their person.
al equipment should go on troop ships,
and animals and other transport be
sent on freighters, as was done"
Says Pershing Was Right.
"pershing is right" says Lieut. Gen.
Edward l.. Logan, Massachusetts, Ma
tional Guard, retired. THE method of
transportation when the Yankee Divi-
sion went to France was hardly better
than in the days of the Spanish Ameri-
can War. Certainly the commander in
chief has not criticized the Yankee Di-
vision. His whole complaint is that the
War Department method of arranging
transpor Gation of the American Expedl-
tionary Forces had not reached any
greater efficiency than in 49,"
Gen. Logan commanded the 101st In
fantry Regiment of the Yank, Division
in the war. OF the medical units as
signed to his regiment, Gen. Logan says:
These units had all the equipment
allowed them by War Department orders,
and they arrived in France with all that
they were permitted, under those orders,
to take with them"
DR.. Fred Began, Boston, who as major
during the war in service with the 26th
! commanded a medical unit, says:
When we LIFT birmingham, Mass,
to entrain to the point of embarkatlon,
the medical outfits were equipped to full
war strength in men and medical sup
plies. The supplies went with Us to
France. The table of organization Of
the old 9Th Massachusetts,, which be-
came the 10lst Infantry Of the 26th,
was increased IN personnel from 900 to
a roster Of $500 men. And supplies
and equipment were increased proper
tionately.
Not Fault Of Division.
while we we're at birmingham two
ambulances were presented to us, one
by the women of birmingham and the
oGher by another group. These we did
not take to France with US because they
were not issued These were left be-
hind and become the property of the
Northeastern Department Of which we
were then part.
"Of course, Gen. Pershing is not criti-
Ching the division, because it obviously
Is not within the province Of the divi-
sion to decide the method of transpor.
tation. That was up to the War De-
partment, to which Gen. Pershing ad-
dressed his cable of complaint"
None Of these officers had any knowl-
edge Of any equipment having been
loaded on to transports at Hoboker
and then taxi off before sailing time,
as Gen. Pefshing observed had been
reported by some medical officer.
Copyright, 1881. by North American News
paper Alliance)