Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-06
TOO, ASKS
AN OVERSEAS ARMY
Minister BaIfour Tells Defense
Council Of the Great Psyche
logical Effect.
WOULD WELCOME A FORCE

| Great Britain formally Joined France
last night in expressing the hope that an
American expeditionary force soon would
take its place on the western front in
Europe.
| Foreign Secretary Balfour told the
council of national defense that the
British would be overjoyed to welcome
an American force in France, and that
| it's early dispatch could not but have an
enormous psychological effect both on the
allies and on their enemies.
Yesterdays meeting brought together
| for the first time for formal conferences
| the British and American military off,
Gals and there was a preliminary study
! of the whole general situation under the
five heads of intelligence work, munitions.
material. hospitals and the expeditionary
| force question. Five joint committees
were appointed to work out a series OF
Recommendations on these subjects.
Prepare for General Discussion.
At the meeting the officials summarized
the results of the individual conferences
held daily since the British mission ar
rived and laid the groundwork for gen.
eral discussions of all phases of military
| CO. operation.
| While no formal announcement was
made, the impression grew after the
, meeting that an American army will go
! to the western front as soon as possible.
The British officials present besides Mr..
Balfour were Lieut.. Gen. Bridges, Maj.
c. Z. Dansey and other military members
attached to the mission. The United
States was represented by Secretaries
Baker, Lane and Redfeld. and other mem
bers of the council OF national defense,
together with Maj. Gems. Scott and Bliss.
chief and assistant chief of star, respec-
lively: Brig. Gen. Crozier. chief of ord
nance; Quartermaster General Sharpe
and Surgeon General Gorgas.
Bearing on Food Transport.
The question of sending an expedition
ary force is understood to depend now
almost entirely on whether the allies
would prefer to divert from the transport
of food the amount of tonnage necessary
to carry the soldiers across the Atlantic.
The committee on expeditionary force will
consider this subject particularly together
with problems of supplies. equipment and
the like, before reporting. In addition. it
will take into account the fact that send
ing force would curtail the general
staffrs plans for training the new armies
and will discuss where on the French
front an American force would be sent
and what it's status would be.
The committee on intelligence is ex-
pected to take up censorship. espionage
and belated subjects. 1t is realized that
the United States faces a great problem
in maintaining liberty of the press with
out disclosing military secrets. and it is
thought the experience OF the British Will
be of value.
Moreover, the enormous spy-hunting
system developed by the presence Of thou
sands of Germans in England will be of
value to officials, here while American
military attaches reports from Germany
will offer information that the British
could hardly have secured through their
own sources.
Task Of Munitions Committee.
The munitions committee will face the
task Of enlarging the output of munitions
in this country, SO as to meet Americas s
new needs without breaking up the vital
| flow to Europa The allies have brought
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