Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-04-24
Note of Warning to America
Comes From General
Bridges, Member of the
British Commission Now
in United States.
HAMPERED NATION
EARLY IN THE WAR
Many of Difficulties Which
Great Britain Encount-
cred Would Have Been
Avoided if Consumption
Had Been Adopted at
Start.

Start.
Washington, April "a
Consumption is vital to
America before the nation
can have any success in the
war.
Lieutenant General B. r..
M. Bridges stepped out of
the great international war
council of the allies here to
deliver this message to the
American people today.
COUNTS THE COST.
While congress wrangled over the
selective CONSUMPTION bill out on Cap
itol hill, this tall. arrow straight fight
er In khaki, fresh from the front,
counted the cost of the volunteer sys-
tenn to England.
I'VE were saddled with the volunteer
system at the beginning of the war;"
said Bridges.
I'VE would have given anything to
get rid of it.
OLD SYSTEM ALL WRONG.
1T hampered and retarded US in ev-
cry phase Of our war development
THE volunteer system threw the best
industrial forces of the country into
the trenches when they were badly
needed at home; and it left at home
those whose places We're at the front.
IF we had had CONSUMPTION at the
beginning it would have obNiated our
later difficulties as to munitions, CO.
ordination of our forces and many other
vital things"
ALL MUST FIGHT.
Then Lieutenant General Bridges
sounded the keynote OF the British
commissions message 10 the Ameri-
can people. He said:
If you're going to war you must go
the whole hog.
You must go to it intelligently, sys-
tematically.
Men, women and children must all
fight, at home and at the front.
1t is no longer a war merely of ex-
petitions.
It's war of nations"
Lieutenant General Bridges than
made it clear that England believes
consumption alone, with the CO. ordina-
ton of national forces it involves, will
enable America to speed the end of
the war.
PROGRESS RETARDED.
The calm, unimaginative commander
of fighting men then pointed out how
Lord Kitchener's volunteer recruiting |
was the innocent means of retarding |
Englands progress in the war
"kitcheners problem was to raise a |
volunteer army. 1t was wrong, but
Kitchener was good soldier, threw
himself into the task and did it.
If 1t hadn't been for Kitcheners
tremendous personality, we would
have had CONSUMPTION very early in
the war.
1t was the great blunders of this
.olunteer recruiting that we had to 60
back and correct, and at such great
cost
General Bridges stood In the mag
nificent music room of the British
quarters on Sixteenth street.
He rose, tall and impressive, before
a background of gorgeous American
beauty roses, which lent a peculiar
touch to the unusual scene.
After outlining these important steps
in the successful waging of war Cen
eral Bridges launched into glowing
tribute of the French.
We've been sent here to greet a
great republic, which we hope is to
stand side by side with the French.
our greatest friends in Europe.
Our feeling for the French is past
friendship. 1t is loveship In many
ways the characteristics Of the French
are like those of women Nothing
could break the bonds that now tie us.
FRENCH GREAT SOLDIERS.
The French are great soldiers. They
are trained to any duty and almost au-
tomatically assume their duty when
sent into the field. Whether a coun-
try lad, a kitchen hand. clerk-the
has trained himself for a /.
part and plays 1t promptly upon call.
Even as we. your people, with their :
great freedom and lack of military
have much to learn. Per- ,
haps we can help you as the French .
helped us, to avoid some of the larger {
pitfalls. into which we fell at the be- !
ginning of the war;"
The great, giant of a man--he's q
'eet inches tall-standing erect in
lis khaki and heavy. thick soldier !
hoes, formed a sharp contrast to the | 4
'legance of the room around him. II,
The n,rRd,yAd INF oy,oe !, 80. - -. x..a-t q