Arizona republican., 1917-06-28
ADVANCE GUARD OF MIGHTY
 AMERICAN ARMY IS SAFELY
 LANDED ON SOIL OF FRANCE
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1


 WASHINGTON, June 27.-The ad- vance guard of the mighty army the United States is preparing to send against Germany is on French soil to- night In defiance of the German sub marines, thousands of seasoned reg ulars and marines trained fighting men with the tan of long service on the Mexican border or in Haiti or San Do- mingo still on their faces, have been hastened overseas to fight beside the French, the British, the Belgian, the Russian. the Portuguese and the Ital- ian troops on the western front.
 News of the safe arrival of the troops sent a new thrill through Wash ington. No formal announcement came from the war department None will come probably until Major General Pershing's official report has been re- ceiVed. Then there may be a statement as to the numbers and composition of the advance guard.
 Press dispatches from France, pre- sumably sent forward with the ap- proval of General Pershing's staff, show that Major General Sibert, one of the new major generals of the army. has been given command of the first force sent abroad, under Genearl Pershing as commander in chief 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- vlealed as yet. This is that American enterprise has set new record for the transportation Of troops.
 Considering the distance to be cov- cred and the fact that all preparations hal fr h 1A Il, 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 nation. It is a good augury of future achievements. The only rival in magnitude is the move ment of British troops to South Africa in the Boer war, and that was made over seas that were unhampered by submarines, mines or other obstacles.
 The American forces will be a net gain to the allies. It will throw no sin gle burden 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 tonight are being stored supplies that will keep them going for moths, and more will 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 clock like precision.
 When the order came to prepare i'm mediately an expeditionary force to go n r1a irt1 Ky a II pf ha across the seas were on the Mexican border. General Pershing himself was at his headquarters in San Antonio. | There were no army transports avail able in the Atlantic The vessels that carried the troopes 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 Presi- dent Wilson decided that the plea of the French high commission should be answered and a force of regulars sent at once to France. At his word the war ] department began to move. General Pershing was summoned quietly to Washington. His arrival created some speculation in the press. at the request of Secretary Baker the newspapers generally refrained from discussion of this point.
 There were a thousand other activ- i ities afoot in the department at the time. All the business of preparing the military registration of ten million men. of providing quarters and in structOrs for nearly 50,000 prospective officers. for finding arms and equip 1 ment for millions of troops yet to be organized. of expanding the regular army to full war strength of prepar- ing and recruiting the national guard for war was at hand
 General Pershing dropped quietly 1 into the department and set up the 1 first headquarters of the American eX- 1 peditionary forces in a little office ! hardly large enough to hold himself i and his personal staff There. with the , aid of the general staff of Secretary | Baker, and of the chiefs of the war de- | partment bureaus, the plans were | worked out.
 i Announcement that the force would | be sent under General Pershing was i made May IS. The press gave the news 1 to the country and there were daily ! stories. There came a day when Gen 1 eral Pershing was no longer in the 1 department. Officers of the general staff suddenly were missing from their | desks No word of this was reported. | Then came word from England that { Pershing and his officers were there.
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