Evening star., 1917-05-13
U.S., SENDN|ENN NOW,
IS PLEA FROM France
Don't Wait for Conscription, Let Us
Have Volunteers, Says
One Authority.
Especial Cablegran to The Sunday Star
and New York Times,)

Especial Cablexrnn to The Sunday star
and New York Times.)
PARIS, May 1.-THE following state
ment was given to me by one Of the
military authorities Of France on the
question of immediate American CO.
operation in the war.
Your problem Is to render your
selves as useful as possible. that IL to
listen to what is said, to profit thereby
and bend all your intelligence toward
results. First, remember France COM
menced to bleed before she had mate
rial Now she has all thes material
assessesss1 n,ss s.s s.s; asssT ss..s
lack. II you walt for the results OF
conscription it will be many. weeks be-
fore anything is accomplished. and
even then the troops sent over must
remain a long time in the rear before
they can be risked at the front.
Roosevelt IN America seems to be
the man as Kitchener was in England
Ia man capable Of raising an army.
If there is any one else get him. too.
but get somebody. Roosevelt, we un-
derstand, is Indifferent as to the title
or grade he is given. What is impor-
tant is to get him or somebody here
with the men.
Men Would Be Instructed.
'sIt is impossible to imagine the moral
aid that will be given us by seeing
Americans arriving to take their place
after proper preparation in the line OF
combat. This is also necessary to keep
the present electives to full strength.
Volunteers on arrival would be put into
instruction camps, while officers would
be sent to schools for officers, which are
equipped and waiting for them. Once
prepared back of the front in an at
mosphere of battle they may be sent
to take their place in line, and then In
turn. after acquiring experience, they
would be detaAed to form the larger
armies Of conscfiption, which will fol-
low. A practical example of this may
be seen by your present aviators and
ambulance drivers. who. after serving
almost three years In the French uni
form, have donned the American and
are ready to serve as Instructors to
their countrymen when they arrive.
'send Volunteers Now"
Therefore the important thing is to
send volunteers now. 80 that they may
frame those who arrive later. Again let
me say chiefly men are needed. II this
advice Is not followed, IL the American n
units are not each one framed between
French units it is the opinion Of the
greatest military authority that the full
benefit Of your effort will not be enjoyed
and at least one year will be lost, but
more probably two. Profit by the expert
ence Of the British. Besides, il your
troops are framed among the French by
regimental units both parties enjoy the
same treatment and run the same risks.
All specialists can be framed among, the
French without losing the indivividuality
and greatly increase their efficiency. such
as engineers, aviators, railroaders, in
terpreters and ambulancers.
Quick Results Obtained.
What Is especially good about
volunteers Is that quicker results are
obtained and the volunteer is the
surest precursor Of efficient conscrip-
ton, for those who have their sons at
the front as volunteers will see that
conscription is properly carried out in
the rear.
What is important is that no more
time be lost. The morale of the Ger
mans, which in the beginning was one
of tnsufferable arrogance, is now only
that Of mad beast backed up against
wall. Now is the time to strike and
keep on striking. Let not America
deceive herself. The Germans are ter
ctr -