Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-07-19
SENDING TROOPS
To FRANCE WITH
EVERY DISPATCH


American soldiers are going to France
Just as fast as transports can be press
ed into service to take them.
Just how fast this will be is some
what problematical If there were
enough transports available now, and
the situation in respect to cargo ships
were satisfactory, it is probable the
great bulk of the regular army and
the federalized militia would be in
France within the next few months.
Cargo ships are just as important
as transports, as the amount of sup
plies that must be taken to France
for an army of any considerable size
is tremendous.
OF course, it would be more than
folly to send troops to Europe any
faster than they can be supplied with
food munitions, transport of every
character and the thousand and one
things that go to make up the com
plete equipment of modern army.
(. The war department, from the sec
rotary down, is working with almost
superhuman energy to overcome what
at times seems insurmountable OBJ
stacles to land an effective fighting
force in France at the earliest posi-
BILE moment.
Tn to a few weeks ago it was not
thought good strategy to send more
American soldiers to France this year
than was necessary to evidence our
good faith to our allies and for moral
effect on Germany.
! The allies had about given up all
hope of landing the Knockout blow
on Germany this year.
Russia's ability to renew an often
/ siye on the eastern front was" doubt
ell and it was thought America could
best contribute to the final overthrow
of the kaiser by diverting all posi-.
bic shipping to the feeding of hel
lies and supplying them with nee
essary war material, while training
her armies here.
Suddenly Russia, contrary to eX
Rotations, gathered herself together
anG began to strike. Then came wei
authenticated rumors of great dis
satisfaction and unrest among the
people of Germany.
The possibility of debating Ger
many this year again claimed the at
tention of the allied strategists, ant
it was decided to press the enemy
on every front and try to force de
cision
1t is not toos much to say that the
allies hope the German people art
sufficiently disheartened so that six
months pounding on all fronts will
convince tneyn they are doomed tc
certain defeat. and cause them tc
turn against their rulers.
Under these suddenly changed con-
| ditions, il was decided that America
could test Contribute to the END
sought by adding to the allies
strength On the western front as
large an army as possible, delivered
as soon as possible.
The reason for this is only partly
military. The biggest reason is tc
prove to the German people that theil
rulers lied to them when they tolc
them America would fight only with
her dollars, and could not send more
than a handful of soldiers to Europe
L in less than two years.
When the news filters into Ger
many that shipload after shipload o.
American soldiers are landing il
France year and a half before the
kaiser and Won Hindenburg said they
could, it is going to be pretty hare
to restore the morale of the German
people-at least this is the reasoning
of the allied strate2ists and states
men, and it seems both rational ant
logical
While it is impossible to get any
figures from the war department, il
is probable there will be 100000
American soldiers in France before
the snow flies 1t is possible there
will be twice that number.
The Pershing expedition is merely
the advance guard. Pershing has
half a division, about 10000 men
This will be made a whole division
after which division of militia will
follow, and be followed by a division
OF regulars, and so on.
1t has not yet been determined in
what order the militia divisions will
be sent.
The militia has been formally called
to the colors. The presidents procla
i nation names August < for its formal