Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1919 — RUSSIAN SITUATION IS BETTER [ARTICLE]

RUSSIAN SITUATION IS BETTER

General March Reveals Unit That Refused to Obey Orders. Washington, D. C., April 12. Company I of tine 339th infantry was identified today by General March as the unit which recently refused to return to the front line trenches in the Archangel sector when ordered to do so by its officers. A supplementary report to the department on the incident said it was worthy of note that the questions put by the men of Company I to their officers were “identical with the questions which Bolshevik propaganda advised that they put to them.’’ The department has not received copies of the Bolshevik leaflets containing these questions and General March said he was extremely anxious to obtain one. “In my long services,” General March said, “I don’t recall another instance where American soldiers did not want to go into a tight. They always -hrive said: ‘Lead us to it.’ ”• A report from Murmansk dated March 28 said the Onda bridge on the railroad south of Murmansk had been rebuilt, restoring communication with the southernmost •post of the allies. While the actual situation of the small cammamds of the expedition in north Russia is not known. General March said the' reopening of communication to the south over the Onda bridge solved any military question, since it affords a direct line for supplies and reinforcements. Communication between Murmansk arid Archangel is being kept open with the assistance qf ice-breakers. Demobilization has reduced the total strength of the American anmy to less than 2,000,000. Complete reports to April 8, announced today by General March,, showed the aggregate strength on that date to be 1,980,506. Since November 11,' 686,114 men have sailed for home, and up to April 8 605,772 had been landed. There have been returned to civil life 1,701,469 officers and men, 50% of the officers and 40% of

the men who were in the army when the armistice was signed. Discharge orders now total 1,925,000. Enlistments under the special overseas volunteer system have reached a total of 7,961. It was indicated that tuie first contingent of 1,000 men of these replacements would start from Camp Meade before May 1. Health conditions in the expeditionary forces, General March said, were “remarkable,’’ less-than 12,000 men having been entered on the sick reports for the week of March 27. In the United States health conditions were described as very good.