New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-17
Objections
The General Staff s Reasons for Not
Sending Troops Answered

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: 1t surely must by this time be thor
oughly understood that, however guarded
he may have been in his deiverances, it is
the opinion of Marshal Joffre that men
from this country for the firing line are
needed, and are needed now. It has been
stated, whether correctly or not | do not
know that he believes that if VIC sent over
an organization which was 2 few degrees
above a mob it could be drilled, disciplined
and instructed in France far more quickly
than here. It is known that at least 10000
men are ready TO 90 at once if the President.
as soon as the pending act is passed, is
willing to accept them as volunteers-that
is, the equivalent of four French divisions.
Now as to the stated objections:
/. Arms and ammunition. When we send
our new army we will naturally send them
with our own supplies. Our allies have the
arms and ammunition for these four divisions
of an expeditonary force as they would
have If they were drawn from the surviving
manhood of France.
! 2. Artillery. None is needed for this ex-
petition; they will constitute infantry di
visions; France will supply the artillery sup.
port.
3. Transportation. They can 20 over in
drblets, 100 to 1000 on each ship that is
going to France or England Within six
weeks after they were ready to start surely
one division at least would be in training
camps in France.
A. Officers to train and lead them That is
the latest objection, attributed to our Cen
eral Staff We need, it is said all officer
material here to train our new army; it would
be too large a draft on our scanty supply
OF such material TO detach the number re-
quired for the expedtionsry force. But we
do not need to supply such force with n full
complement OF officers. temporary cap
tain or lieutenant, temporary colonel or
major, having much still to learn, could
shepherd company or a regiment across
the seas and by rail to training camp. Once
there all needs Of that sort can be at once
supplied From the thousands of our men
already serving in the armies of our allies
they would detach a sufficient number 20 I'll
up the skeleton outfit Of officers. Surely
every one who leaves with the expeditionary
force hO!dlnS RANK would gladly 90 down a
grade or two to make room for those who,
realizing before the rest of us did what this
war meant. that it was not mere struggle
OF madmen, fighting for they knew no; what,
have been for months or years in that blaz-
ing hell, which has made them ideal trainers
and leaders
OF course. an act would have to be passed
repatriating them, because. alas, they lost
their citizenship when they cast in their lot
with Frenchmen and Englshmen 20 fight the
good fight ito make democracy safe" In
deed, we give cynic just cause for sheer
ing when we let weeks pass after We de-
clare war and still leave those OF us who
risked their lives for what we have now de-
cleared is our cause out in the cold. having
to pass through an Ellis Island examination
before they can set foot on their home land
again. and to apply for naturalization be
fore their old status is restored.
Surely this lack Of officer material" seems
the fcebest of all objections.
h. HENRY LACOMBE.
New York, May Is, 1917.