The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-28
Thousands of Soldiers Are
in Camp in France, Hav-
ing Landed Yesterday
After the Most MemOra-
BILE Feat of Sea Transpor-
tation in History Of the
World
SEASONED VETERANS
IN CAMPAIGNING
Major General Pershing Is
Expected to Visit the
Troops Today - United
States Was Thrilled By
Announcement of the Ar
rival

Washington, d. G., June 2S.--The ad
vance guard of the mighty army the Unit
ed States is preparing to send against
Germany is on French soil. In defiance
of the German submarines, thousands
of seasoned regulars and marines, trained
fighting men with the tan of long serv-
ice on the Mexican border, or in Haiti
or Santo Domingo, still on their faces
have been fastened overseas to fight be-
side the French, the British, the Bel
gian, the Russian, the Portuguese and
the Italian troops on the western front,
News of the safe arrival of the troops
sent new thrill through Washington.
No formal announcement came from the
war department. None will come, prob
ably, until Ma ajor General Pershing's Off
cial report has been received. Then
there may be a statement as to the
numbers and composition of the advance
guard.
Press dispatches from France, presum-
ably sent forward with the approval of
General Pershing's staff, show that Ma
jor-General Sibert, one of the new ma
jor-generals of the army, has been Civ
en- command of the first force sent
abroad, under General Pershing as COM
mander-in-chi of the expedition.
One thing stands out sharply despite
the fact that the size of the task that
has been accomplished is not fully re-
vealed as yet. This is that American
enterprise has set new record for the
transportation of troops.
Considering the distance to be covered
and the fact that all preparations had to
be made after the order came from the
White House the night of May IS, it is
practically certain that never before has
a military expedition of this size been
assembled, conveyed and landed without
mishap in so short a time by any ma
ton 1t is a good augury of future
achievements. The only rival in mag
ntude is the movement of British troops
to South Africa in the Boer war, and
that was made over seas unhampered by
submarines mines or other obstacles.
The American force will be a net gain
to the allies. 1t will throw no single bur-
den of supply or equipment upon them.
The troops will be fed, clothed, armed
and equipped by the United States.
Around them at the camp on French soil
last night were being stored supplies
that will keep them going for months
and more to follow.
General Pershing and his staff have
been busy for days preparing for the
arrival of the men, Despite the enor
nous difficulties of unpreparedness and
submarine dangers that faced them, the
plans of the army general staff have
gone through with elock-like precision.
When the order came to prepare i'm
mediately an expeditionary force to go
to France, virtually all of the men now
across the seas were on the Mexican
border. General Pershing himself was
at his headquarters in San Antonio.
There were no army transports available
in the Atlantic The vessels that carried
the troops were scattered on their usual
routes. Army reserve stores were still
depleted from the border mobilization. |
Regiments were below war strength.
That was the condition when President |
Wilson decided that the plea of the
French high commission should be an |
swered and force of regulars sent at |
once to France. At this word the war |
department began to move. General Per- /
shing was summoned quietly to Wash
ington. His arrival created some specu-
lation in the press, but at the request
of Secretary Baker the newspapers gen
orally refraiued from discussion Of this
point.
There were a thousand other activities
afoot in the department at the time All
the business of preparing for the military
registration Of ten million, of providing
quarters and instructors for nearly So
600 prospective officers. of finding arms
and equipment for millions of troops vet
70 be organized, of expanding the regular
army to full war strength, of preparing
and recruiting the National Guard for
war was at hand.
General Pershing dropped quietly into
the department aad set up the first head
quarters of the American expeditionary
forces in a little office. hardly large
enough to hold himself and his personal
staff. There, with the aid Of the general
staff, of Secretary Baker and the chiefs
of the war department bureaus, the plans
were worked out
Announcement Of the sending of the
force under General Pershing was made
May Is. The press gave the news TO the
country, and there we're daily stories.
There came day when General Pershing Z
was no longer in the department. Off !
GERS Of the general staff suddenly were I
missing from their desks No word Of &,
this was reported. Then came word from
England that Pershing and his officers !
were there. All was carried through !
without publicity III
Other matters relating to the sxPedi-