The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-23
SEND TROOPS
AT ONCE. !; 70
AID OF FRANCE
Marshall Joffre and General
Petain Want Men Trained or
Unframed Immediately
FACILITIES FOR INTENSIVE
INSTRUCTION IN EUROPE
BY gibson GARDNER.

Washington, May 23.-Get Ameri-
can soldiers in France. That is the
message Marshal Joffre is emphasiz'
ing daily in Washington. 1t has been
cabled also by Gen. Petain, now in
supreme command of French opera
tions, who begs that volunteers, men,
officers and, equipment be sent Inn
mediately, SO a large army may be
in France within three months.
Gen. Petain promises the men in
tensive training in France They will
not be thown at once into battle. AT
many places the battle front is
quiet" and less trained troops will
be given early duty helping on the
quiet sections.
This will relieve French troops for
more, active work.
1t is urged that volunteers be per-
mitted to 60 and serve temporarily
with French officers and troops. These
men, Petain suggests, would get
training which would enable them to
train other men arriving raw from
the United States. Officers would be
given courses at the st. Cyr Military
school.
France feels the great need is for
men, trained or unframed, at once.
If the plan of our general staff is fol-
lowed and this country waits to
raise, equip and train large army
before beginning to get the men
across the ocean, the help may come
too late.
The shipping problem is another in
sistent reason swf1Ys this government
should not wait t0 send o. large, per-
fectly trained armys E{g$I
By the time AN army Ola half mil
lion men is ready with equipment and
commissary there will be no ships to
carry it.
1t is not possible to transport a
half million men, even In normal
times, without enormous special ship
ping equipment and much time.
In the present disorganized condi-
tion of shipping, with every vessel
by increasing submarine
danger, it would be practically i'm
possible.
The only way American fighters
can help the allies is to begin at once
''trickling" men into France. Every
freighter should carry few fighting
men; every passenger ship should add
to its passenger list a quota OF OFF,
GERS and men going to France for
training and subsequent organization
into an American army.
Even in this way, assuming that
start is made at once, it will be many
months before anything like a half
million men are on the western front.
This is one reason for sending volun-
,eers, such as the Roosevelt division.
Volunteers can be had for this SER
vice more quickly than men selected
lnder the selective service act. The
volunteer could be on his way with
n 30 days. The selective service
army must be held together, organ
zed, officered and equipped, and will
)e found doubtless in the United
States still drilling when snow flies.
France has passed the maximum OF
Ter man strength. Men and still
noe men are needed in France to
push back the German legions. The
light is being won, but at terrible
cost in men to both sides. The
Weakening of the Russian front per-
nits Germans to double their strength |
IN the western lines, which makes
LOUDLY insistent the need for more
nen from America.
If this country is to strike an ef-
ective blow in the war it must strike |
quick one. The only way to strike
quick one is to begin "trickling"
nen to the fighting lines.