Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1917-12-14
AMERICAN TROOPS
WANTED QUICKLY
PREMIER LLOYD GEORGES CALL
is LIKELY TO BE MET WITH
SWIFT RESPONSE.
LONG THE WISH OF FRANCE
Government Is Fully Awake to the Me-
cessity of Getting Men Across and
Civilians Who Opposed 1t Probably
Are Converted
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.

Washington.-A million men quick
~ to France!
Great Britain and France and pre-
sumably Italy are urgent that the Unit
ed States shall send troops just as rap
idly as possible. 1t is believed from
what one learns that in case Instant
supplies AVID materials cannot be pro-
vided by the United States for the
large force in the field, the need for
them can be met on the other side
without jeopardizing any position on
the front. Our troops doubtless will go
quickly in large numbers.
Nothing definite of course properly
can be printed about the movement or
American troops. 1t can be taken for
granted, however, that the government
Is awake to the necessity of getting
men "over there" and it also can be
said probably that it did not need the
recent speech of Lloyd George to en-
tighten the United States or the war
department as to the present wishes OF
the allies in this matter.
Differences of opinion on the neces-
stiles in the case in every war have
been common enough. They are COM
mon enough today. Many officers OF
the war department, the younger men
generally. have held all along that men
were what they needed on the battle
front. provided that they could be sup
piled with eating material and kill
ing material from whatever source.
On the other hand there were plenty
of officials, including many members
of congress, who held that this cOun-
try should hold back it's men and give
all it's attention to the shipment of sup
plies and material of all kinds. 1t is
probable that the recent statement of
the British premier about the imme-
date need of American troops will
change the view of these officers who
thought that even with Russia out of
1t and Italy in straits, the United
States could afford to keep most of
its fighting units on this side of the
water until spring.
Men Viii! Be Sent Quickly.
No one knows yet what the army es-
Inmates for the next session OF con-
gress are to be, but seemingly there no
longer can be any doubt, if the wish
of the European allies for the quick
dispatch of large number of troops
is met, that men will be sent to the
places where their presence will be
felt just as quickly as it is possible
and consistent with adequate prepara-
ton.
A much larger army than that which
we have at present, army officers be-
lieve, is an immediate need. This
means that if the country is to go on
raising the men necessary apprOpria-
ton estimates must be made on
n large scale. If Secretary Baker does
not ask for the great sums needed it
can be taken for granted that the
present intention is not to increase the
army larger. 1t is believed, however,
that the secretary will have change
of mind on the subject, for army men
say the least expensive way out and
the quickest way out is to raise men
at once, train them, and send them
where they can help stop the war,
which, Of course, will mean the stop
page Of the enormous expenditures.
The army view is that 100000 or
100000 men may be needed on the
west front so that these acting in con-
nection with the French and British,
the kaiser's forces may be crushed. 1t
seems to be likely today that the view
of the matter gradually is becoming
that of civilian officials.
Army Of Road Builders.
Next spring a small army of Ameri
cans will operate 1000 miles of high
ways Immediately in the rear of the
firing lines In France. 1t is to be called
a regiment, although it will number
thrice as many men as there are in
any regiment of any army.
The commanding officer will be COL
E. M. Johnston, United States army,
and to him will be given the task not
only of keeping the lines of communi-
cation open at all times, but of main
tanning the roads in such high condi-
ton that armies with their full equip
4nent Of ammunition and supplies can
be sent to the front at an instant's no.
tice to take part in an offensive or to
check a drive by the Germans.
When this regiment, which is known
as the Twenty-third United States En-
gineers, is fully recruited for its work,
it will contain more than 10000 men.
This number of men Is smaller than
that employed by Great Britain in
work of similar kind, but there seems
TO be feeling in Washington that the
American outfit will be able to do it's
work to the top notch of efficiency, be-
cause in it's personnel there will be
scores of the most competent road
builders in the United States, some of
them men whose salaries in time OF
peace mount into the many thousands.
Moreover, the outfit will be equipped
with the last thing to be desired in
labor saving machinery of kind
which never has been in use by either
England or France.
May Need Double the Number.