New-York tribune., 1917-05-05
Getting an Army to France
Transport Facilities and the Prospect
of Early American Service
tbe Editor Of Tho Tribune.

TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: An American infantry division con.
sist, OF ~ 900 men, 1900 horses and soo
vehicles. To make up our suggested hr.
army for foreign service would include prob.
ably five divisions, or 10000 men, 37Ea
horses and $500 vehicles, plus mechanical
transportation and reserve food and smms.
milton.
In sending the troops from Canada such
boat as the steamship Olympic carried 81,
English battalions, artillery, etc, 50 that y.
can safely assume in one trip she could CARY
3 1000 men. Of this class Of boat there are. y.
believe, four. The capacity Of the smaller
boats in the transport service ran from 800
to 1900 men, 50 that $500 as an ayersg. !,
more hopeful than conservative.
An army Of 10000 In one trip would Re.
quire the four large boats at 5000 men, 81.
600; thirty-one smaller boats al $500 m.,
u, 800; total l09,50O.
These men would require, at four pound,
Of food man per day for sixty days tsa,l
normal freight conditions could be resun.s
1920 tons OF food.
In cartridges assuming 10000 eFec.a.
rifles at thirty rounds day per man 70,
sixty days. 100000 would be required
leaving ali artillery ammunition out Of the
question.
Under the present conditions probably bv.
one large and perhaps five small boats could
be diverted to the transport service incud.
inc in this number those similarly employed
in the Canadian service These six boats a.
best could hardly make two round trips
month; but for this purpose assuming thsy
couG. they would carry 1000 a month To
send over our first quota Of 10000 men. plus
supplies, would require at least ninety days.
II the shipping facilities continue 10 be.
come worse instead Of better, the army Of
10000 trained men would require year 70
get them across to France.
If we started an army OF five divisions for
France at once, beginning, say, June !, the
first 10000 would have had sixty days inten-
sive training before the last Of the first con-
tingent arrived, so that by September |, 1917,
at the earliest. We could begin putting one
division in the line with fair probability OF
taking care Of our own wastage.
Green troops arc not put in trenches con.
tinuously under fire. Even the English
troops to-day are rough polished in their
regimental base camps in England then given
a second polish in their regimental base
camps in France. then put for final round
ing Off Of the rough edges in a so-ealled
"peace time trench" where the casualties are
down to the minimum. There the men learn
the details Of trench housekeeping how to be
comparatively comfortable and how not to gss
killed if possible.
After length of time. dependent on the
morale and sdaptabili;y they have shown,
they graduate from the peace time trench
to some point in the line where they are
needed There they remain until casualties
or nerves make it advisable TO Withdraw then
to recruit up. when they start the cycle srn
at the base camp in France.
We know there is a grave shortage o.
boats; few can pe spared for transport ser
vice. and foodstuffs and coal must continue
without interruption. II is possible NOR
boats might be spared, but the chances arr
that even less are available than here con
templated. If We arc going TO take our plse'
and bear our share of the burden, let's Be
at il.
We cannot really, even II we huIr! ou
best do more than show our good intention
much before the late fall or winter bu. We
can, by showing some speed, release some Of
the hard pressed, worn down, brave men o.
France by spring, if VIC start promptly.
Those chaps will be entering their third
year. They are nearly bled white now. Can
they last out indefinitely without being given
some hope of help?
Imagine TO yourself if you had gone again
and again against sudden death and by
seeming miracle escaped, what it would mean
to you to know that after the winter hard
ships there would be some one coming %
take your place in the spring and give yous
breathing space until you felt able 70 fsr
the nerye-racking hell Of the trenches ags'
Let's get busy and give those men tha.
hope. THOMAS {. CLARhk
New York. April 30 1917.