The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-05-01
President Reported Inclined
to Proposal to Embark
Small Force.
WAITING FOR CONGRESS
Announcement Expected
Soon After Army Measure
Is Signed.
READY BY FIRST OF JULY
Division or Brigade Can Be
I Prepared to Depart Within
Sixty Days.
FOR CONGRESS
READY BY FIRST OF JULY

WARRINGTON. April 8o.-The impress
sion that Marshal Joffre and the other
members OF the French mission are
likely to persuade the Administration
that tho end Of the war would be has.
tened by an American expedition to bs
sent over In a few weeks, and that the
plan was feasible, gained ground fol-
lowing N. Viviani's visit TO the White
House to-day. The French envoy
talked with President Wilson for an
hour and q quarter. with Ambassador
Jusserand acting as interpreter as well
as taking part in the conversation.
It was said by persons close to the
French mission that on every subject
which they discussed Mr.. Wilson and
NJ. Vviani found an absolute com.
munity Of views between the two Gov.
ernments. That is the substance Il
dispatches which correspondents Of
Paris newspapers cabled to their hous
offices tonight with the sanction Of
their country's representatives here.
Troops Are Wanted.
While none OF the three mon whs
shared In the conference gave any pub
lie intimation of the matters that were
canvaSsed IL is known that A. Niviani
and the other members of the French
mission share the view of Marshal
Joffre that while the need OF ships and
| supplies cannot be exaggerated it 10 Of
the utmost Importance that, as Marshal
| Joffrs said yesterday In expressing the
hope OF France. the flag Of the United
/ States will soon be unr1i-led on tho
. fighting line" II Is believed that this
was one of the questions on which the
President and NJ. Niviani EXCHANGED
| views to-day
The President. beset by a variety Of
ADVICE Is keeping his own counsel II
! Is supposed that he 10 waiting for Con
/ gress to determine finally the age limits
Tor conscription before he makes his Do
siion clear on the country's military
| poIicy. Meanwhile many well Informed
persons predict that before long he will
| 'eh the nation that it is feasible and
necessary to send a small expedition to
! FRANCE in advance Of the army. which
nnder the plan devised by the General
stan. would not be ready for service be-
FORE next March or April
Ready to Go Soon.
Marshal Jofrre had nothing 70 aAA ,o.
day TO his statement and jn,eryiev n,
Yesterday, the censoring of which n VA :
explained to-day was done not hy the
state Department but by the E'renc,
mission itself including the Marshal
VINO agreed that he had said certa N
thlngs which for reasons Of policy and
expediency should not be published
therefore his personal views recardinr-
COnnpattinn n fha
American expedition to France cannot
be dwe,t upon at this time.
IL can be said that the French mission
"S whole believes that the United
states should send a division or at leas;
brigade OF regular army soldiers to
France. and that those members OF the
General Stafr and officers OF the War
department who take tho same view
think that such n force could be made
ready to sail. fully equipped and of,
cered. by the middle Of June or the nrst
OF July
II Col, Roosevelt should prove 20 be
the leader of this brigade or division
: the Frenchnen would be happy. but the,
are stuotous'y refraining from making
any suggestion as to personnel or leader
shin, holding that they have done theiI
full duty when they present. al the re-.
quest OF the Administration. the facts
and arguments supporting their carnes
, beliet that the immediate presence OF
, American soldiers In France is desirable
In the interests of the United States a,
, we'll as the Allies. Among tho men &
r whom the case has been presented arr
severa! Senators and Represe nta tlvcs
= who went 10 the Henry White house las
night and STAYED until after midnight TO
ing over the situation witt NJ Vivian,
Marshal Joffre and others Of the French
4. mission. II was said tina, most Of III,
legislators were converted from their be
lief that 4 would s~"ye 20 GOOD purpose
. TO rush troops to the western front
!. would Serve Separately.
= In last nights discussion and in 9th.
u conferences the Frcnchmcn have made II
u clear that they would not think of hav
"a ing the American for. scattered alori
" the line and absorbed nv the rrencl
II army. y has heen pointed out that tn
l. hest cooperative eror; has hc-n achieves
by the separation Of the national unit
OF Great Britain, France and Russia tina
lS have been engaged or TIE western from,
v Ths French mission has reminde.
,l Americans Of the system whereby tn
- recruits which followed kitchoners hrs
=, army OF highly trained men to Franc
we're guided through Their novitiate b.
- .lose association with hardened Irsnc
~ units. On either side OF British uni
and supporting = N the rear were tn
best troops OF France until the B-it!s
were able to handle a situation alone
Similarly 10000 Russians, who lande
" IN France IN 1915. We're organized 70
service. They had learned in Rust
the rudlnrnts of army service. hut We
mt regarded hv Marshal ,Inffre as recruit
TO and at first he had serious doubts .
he To their availab I.'v Fo- his purpossl
he Dut tNev wcr" mob Zcd IN cam
hc ro- intensified traiuiu: twenty rTtle
Ir from the battle line and after five week
OF th's they went into action and
n their hrst engagement drove tn Ge;
nd mans back.
vol "If in five weeks Russian pcasants ca
ng be whipped into nrst class lighting shaT
and he put succcss ally into the line