The Colorado statesman., 1917-06-09
WAR PLAN CHANGED
JoFFRE'S APPEAL FOR TROOPS
ALTERED THE SCHEME OF
THE GENERAL STAFF.
LONG DELAY NOT NECESSARY
Indications Are That America Will
Be Represented on the Fighting
Line FAR in Advance Of the Date
Originally Set.
BY EDWARD 8. CLARK.

| Washington.-The American peo-
| pie We're given to understand that 1t
was the intention of the war depart
| ment to hold American soldiers In
this country until an enormous force
was trained and ready to send to Eu-
rope virtually in one great expedition.
OF course all the troops could not be
sent together, but the plan was to get
them over there as nearly as possible
in n bunch.
This planning of the army authori-
ties, so far as the military chiefs
could do it, definitely was fixed upon.
Most people, however, probably will
remember the recall which was
sounded by American authority on
the request made by General Joffre
for the dispatch of an immediate
force to Europe.
1t may have been President Wilson
who finally decided the question of
the wisdom of sending General Perish
ing's division to the other side. I'm
questionably General Joffre's plea
made great impression upon Presi-
dent Wilson. Pershing's force Is to
go, and it seems now to be extremely
likely that other original plans of the
war department may go the way just
as this first plan has gone it.
When General Pershing's division
reaches Europe, or rather after 1t has
been there short time, it will be
found to be serviceable in way that
is not all sentiment. There have been
some vaporings about a force for SEN
timental purposes. If "Black Jack"
Pershing thought he was being sent
to Europe as lollipop with a senti-
mental feather in his hat he probably
would quit the army.
Original Plans Altered.
The government of the United
States has allowed newspapers to tell
how many men there are to be in
Pershing's outfit, and that it is intend
ed to send the troops as quickly as
possible. So it becomes proper, be-
cause the intention to dispatch force
marks complete change of original
plan, for one to say word about how
the general staff's original plans were
shell riddled and to say something al
so concerning what effect the change
may have on the future.
No one knows, of course, and no
one would say if he did know, just
when other eXpeditionary forces are
to be sent to Europe. The departure
of Pershing's force will not be chron-
icled. When it arrives safely on the
other side the world will know about
it, and not before. The same veil of
secrecy will be thrown about the de-
parture of other forces in the future.
Out of the general field of the plan
ming, however, one or two things may
be picked for proper comment and eX-
PLANTATION.
If the original plan had been ad-
hered to American troops, except for
some few engineer detachments,
would not have sent to Europe for
many months. A long time will
elapse anyway before big force is
on the fighting line, but it can be said
that the United States is in much bet
ter condition than it was thought to
be to send considerable forces of
troops to Europe earlier than was the
expectation.
The French military officers appar-
entity made an impression on the
mind of the war department when it
told of the intensive training possibili-
| ties Just back of the French lines.
General Bridges of the British army
in a public address, told of men who
never having seen rifle, were made
ready for the fighting line with eleven
weeks intensive training.
Training Won't Take So Long.
Everything that has developed with
in the last few weeks tends to show
that America will be represented on
the fighting front of Europe a consid
cradle time in advance of the date or
| iginally set for its participation in ac-
tual hostiities. There are units of
the National Guard which Frenchmen
have said need only the short train
ing back of the lines to make them fit
for the fight. Our regulars, with less
training than would be necessary for
the Guard. will be in condition quick
ly to go into the trenches.
| 1t is not going to take n year to
train the recruits for service. Today
there are in camp many thousands of
young men who after only three
months instruction, viii be made ju-
| .ior officers of the national army,
whose duty it will be to instruct re-
cruits. If the regular officers of the
United States army can make officers
out of green men in three months, is
it logical to suppose that it is going
to take much longer time to fit the
enlisted men for the intensive train
ing camps back of the line in France.
Camps Will Be Schools.
The war department has not yet Sc
lected sites for all the training camps
Gen. Leonard Wood is to have 10 of
them under his directing and disci-