A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHIEF
[Page 1]
In this initial number of THE STARS AND STRIPES, published by the men ofthe Overseas Command, the Commander-in-Chief of the AmericanExpeditionary Forces extends his greetings through the editing staff tothe readers from the first line trenches to the base ports.
These readers are mainly the men who have been honored by being thefirst contingent of Americans to fight on European soil for the honor oftheir country. It is an honor and privilege which makes them fortunateabove the millions of their fellow citizens at home. Commensurate withtheir privilege in being here, is the duty which is laid before them,and this duty will be performed by them as by Americans of the past,eager, determined, and unyielding to the last.
The paper, written by the men in the service, should speak the thoughtsof the new American Army and the American people from whom the Army hasbeen drawn. It is your paper. Good luck to it.
(Signed) JOHN J. PERSHING,
Commander-in-Chief, A. E. F.
MEN ON LEAVE
NOT TO BE LED
ROUND BY HAND
——
Impression That They Will
Be Chaperoned Wholly
Erroneous.
——
SAVOY FOR FIRST GROUP
——
Zone System to Be Instituted and
Rotated to Give All Possible
Variety.
——
"PINK TICKETS" FOR PARIS.
——
Special Trains to Convey Soldiers
to Destinations—Rules Are
Explicit.
——
As a great deal of misapprehension regarding leaves, the conditionsunder which they are to be granted, etc., has existed in the A.E.F. forsome time past, the complete and authoritative rulings on the subjectare given below.
A.E.F. men whose leaves fall due on or about February 15 will be allowedto visit the department of Savoy, in the south-east of France, duringtheir week of leisure. That department constitutes their "leave zone"for the present. When their next leaves come around four months hence itis planned to give them a different leave zone, and to rotate such zonesin future, in order to give all an equal chance to see as much of Franceas possible.
While the Y.M.C.A. has worked hard and perfected arrangements forsoldiers' accommodations and provided amusements at Aix-les-Baines, oneof the famous watering-places in Savoy, no man is bound in any way toavail himself of those accommodations and amusements if he does not sodesire. In other words, there are no strings attached to a man's leavetime, provided he does not violate the obvious rules of militarydeportment. The widespread idea that there will be official orsemi-official chaperonage of men on leave by the Y.M.C.A. or otherorganizations is, therefore, incorrect.