The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-08-09
SEND TROOPS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
Transports to he Pressed into Service
to Garry Soldiers to France.

AluSllCdH SOiu1SlS olO SOliiS "
France just as fast as transports can
| be pressed into service to take them.
Just how fast this will be is some
what problen1atical. If there were
enough transports available now, and
! the situation in respect of cargo ships
were satisfactory, it is probable that
| 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, transports of every
character and the thousand and one
things that go to make up the COM
plete equipment of a modern army.
The war department, from the Sec
retary 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.
Up to a few weeks agoit was not
thought good strategy to send more
American troops 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 Of
fensive on the eastern front was
doubted, and it was thought America
could best contribute to the final ov-
erthrow of the kaiser by diverting all
possible shipping to the feeding OF
her allies and supplying them with
necessary war material, while train
ing her armies here.
Suddenly Russia, contrary to expec-
tations, gathered herself together and
began to strike. Then came we'll au-
thenticated rumors of great dissatis-
faction and unrest among the people
of Germany.
The possibility of defeating Ger
many this year again claimed the at
tention of the allied strategists, and
it was decided to press the enemy on
every. front and try to force decls-
ion.
1t is not too much to say that the
allies hope the German people are
sufficiently disheartened so that slS
months pounding on all fronts Will
convince them they are doomed to
| certain defeat, and cause them to
turn against their rulers.
Under these suddenly changed con-
! ditions, it was decided that America
could best contribute to the end
sought by adding to the allies
strength on the western front as
large as possible, delivered as soon
as possible.
The reason for this is only partly
military. The bigger reason is to
prove to the German people that their
rulers lied to them when they told
them America would fight only with
her dollars, and could not send more
than a handful of soldiers to Europe
in less than two years.
When the news filters into Ger
many that shipload after shipload OF
American troops are landing in
France a year and half before the
kaiser and Won Hindenberg said they
could, it is going to be pretty hard
| to restore the morale of the German
| people-at least this is the reasoning
of the allied strategists and states
men, and it seems both rational and
| logical.
While it is impossible to get any
figures from the war department, it
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.
1t has not yet been determined in
what order the militia divisions will
be sent.
The difficulty of transport service
will be somewhat relieved by the re-
turn to service of the German intern
ed ships, aggregating 100000 gross
| tons. These will be available for the
war department from now on. Some
Of these ships are freight caSriers,
| u.bilo tho Hambur2-A merican Timers