New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-14
Nation No Real Factor in
War Without 100000
in Trenches
Peace Still Far OFF
General Hears No Blast in
Wilson's Speech to Level
German Jericho

Unless the United States viii raise
Immediately an army Of nearly Mill
ion men TO send into the trenches Of
France this country cannot be real
factor in the war. declared General
Francis Y. Greene. at the dinner Of the
Twerty-third Street branch OF the
Young Mems Christian Association, at
the Hotel Breslin last night.
General Greene declared shat no
peace is possible until one or the other
of the belligeronts il exhausted. The
United states, he declared. has en-
tered on task the magnitude OF
which We do not yet, with all our
Imagination. hny appreciate. me
opinicn expressed an certain quarters
abroad, a well as IN this country, that
thc address - President Wilson would
serve as 4 trumpet blast before which
the German Jericho would fall was not
well founded, added General Greene.
There is a special reason why Ger
many will not now make peace" said
General Greene. Her financial plans
have all been based upon the confident
belief that she would dictate the terms
of peace, which would necessarily in
clude a huge indemnity. With the
United Sta;ess entry into the war the
hope has sprung up anew in the Ger
man breast that TINS indemnity can be
collected-in America. For these va
riols reasons-impossible peace terms,
tho hone Of an indemnity, and resent
ment at the distinction drawn by Presl-
dent wilson between the imperial Ger
man government and the German peo-
rle-therc will be struggle TO the
bitter end When we make ourselves
felt in the war, by striking hard and
effective blows. then may we begin 10
discuss how long the war Will last. But
there is no reason to believe that our
mere entry. by declaration OF war, Will
shorten its Duration
Defends Universal Service
General Greene came out in defence
of universal service. advocated the
seizure of German ships for the trans
nortation of an army OF 100000 men,
and declared that the checkbook alone
would not aid the United States. Amer
lea. said the sneaker. must pay for war
with sweat and blood, il success is to
crown our efforts.
The general referred to the rumor
that the War Department was dlsln-
clined to send any troops abroad In less
than n year by saying:
THE thing in which we are most
lacking. and which is going to be our
most difficult task, is the raising of a
large army. 1t should be our first and
foremost thought. The plan outlined
BIZ the President is precisely what Is
required. The regular army must b.
raised 10 the war strength OF 2oIOOO
men. the National Guard must DC IN
creased to total Of 10000. and new
army Of 500 900 must be raised. on inc
principle Of universal Liability to mill
tary service.
"These men can best be used by send
ing them 10 France, there TO get IN
struction from men who know what war
in 1917 really is from experience. l Sc
the German ships for their ,ransporta-
ton. Let each division have months
training in a camp near Boulogne: linen
put il alonRside the belglahs anu DIN
ish on the left of the long line from
Nieuport to Belfort; let ITS place be
taken at the Boulogne camp by another
division. until the regular army and
the National Guard, 100000 men in all,
have been used. BY that time the new
national army should be ready"
General Greene said that II the
troops were kept in camps in this coun-
try they would become disheartened.
The speaker said he did not intend TO
minimize the difficulty Of obtaining
ships TO transport the men.
Must Find Ships
But let us distinctly understand"
he declared. chat If we and our allies
cannot solve the shipping question We
shall lose the war. and the United
States VIII lose its independence. But
the idea that France, Great Britain and
the United States cannot solve the
problem Of ships is. TO my mind. pre-
posterous. We should have a minister
Of munitions; we should also have
ministry Of sea transportation, 70 which
should be conided the whole problem
of construction OF ships and aircraft,
the operation of cargo carriers and the
supply OF fighting craft to the naval
and military services. Such man as