Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-07-10
AMERICAN ARMY
LANDS IN FRANCE;
TO FRONT SOON
U. S. Troops Given Warm Wei
4. come by Throngs.
z coNTINGENTs WERE SENT
People Surprised When Big Trans
ports Arrive and City Is Soon Be-
tagged In Honor of the Occa-
sion-Harbor Dotted With
Conveys.

Conveys.
A French Seaport, June 2S.-Gen-
eral Pershings army is now in France
The second contingent Of American
Wednesday morning.
The troops landed amid the frantic
cheers of the people, who had gath
cred hours before In anticipation Of
duplicating yesterdays surprise. En-
thusiasm rose to fever pitch when II
was learned that the transports and
conveys had successfully passed the
submarine zone. The port was quickly
befagged in honor of the occasion.
ALI the troops now here were trans
ferred to camp not far distant from
this point, where Maj. Gen. William L.
Sibert Is installed. Thence they prob
ably will go soon to point near the
front. All the troops are in excellent
condition, enthusiastic over the sue
cessful trip and their reception and
eager for action.
Major General Pershing, the Ameri-
can commander, is expected today.
The harbor is dotted with conveys.
The streets are filed with soldiers in
khaki and with bluejackets. Great
numbers Of trucks are transporting i'm
mense supplies to the camp in which
the troops are concentrating.
(Although this dispatch refers to the
second contingent" it constitutes the
drst official announcement of the land
ing Of United States troops.)
Mai. Gen. slbert In Command.
Washington, June 28.-The advance
guard of the mighty army the United
States is preparing to send against
Germany is on French soil.
In defiance OF the German subma-
rines, thousands Of seasoned regulars
and marines, trained fighting men
with the tan Of long service on the
Mexican border or In Haiti or Santo
Domingo still on their faces have
been fastened overseas to fight be-
side the French, the British, the Bel
gian, the Russian, the Portuguese and
the Italian troops on the western
front.
New Record Established.
Press dispatches from France, pre-
sumably sent forward with the ap-
prevail Of General Pershing's staff,
show that Major General Sibert, one
Of the new major generals Of the
army, has been given command Of
The first force sent abroad under Cen
sral Pershing as commander In chief
Of the expedition.
One thing stands out sharply, de-
spite the fact that the size Of the task
that has been accomplished is not fully
revealed as yet. This Is that American
enterprise has set new record for
the transportation Of troops.
Considering the distance to be COW
cred and the fact that all preparations
had to be made after the order came
from the White House the night Of
May Is, it is practically certain that
never before has military expedition
Of this size been assembled, conveyed
and landed without mishap In so short
a time by any nation.
Have Own Supplies.
The only rival in magnitude is the
movement of British troops TO South
Africa in the Boer war, and that was
made over seas that were unhampered
by submarines. mines or other obsta-
cleS. .teg1sss .,s- s1ssss~4.,va"
The American forces will be net
gain to the allies. The United States
will throw no single burden of supply
or equipment upon them. The troops
viii, be fed, clothed, armed and equip
ped by the United States. Around
them at the camp on French soil are
being stored supplies that will keep
them going for months, and more will
follow.
General Pershing and his staff have
been busy for days preparing for the
arrival OF the men. Despite the enor-
NOUS difficulties Of unpreparedness
and submarine dangers that faced
them, the plans of the army general
staff have gone through with clocklike
precision. >,oa. S.s7as<s..~,
Pershina Visits Capital.
When the order came to prepare i'm
mediately an expeditionary force to go
to France, virtually all Of the men now
across the seas were on the Mexican
border. General Pershing himself was
at his headquarters In San Antonio.
There were no army transports avail
able in the Atlantic. The vessels that
carried the troops were scattered on
their usual routes. Army reserve
stores were still depleted from the bor-
der mobilization. Regiments were be-
low war strength
That was the condition when Presi-
dent Wilson decided that the plea of
the French high commission should be
answered and force Of regulars sent
at once to France. At his word the
war department began to move.
General Pershing was summoned
quietly to Washington. His arrival
created some speculation In the press,
but at the request Of Secretary Baker
the newspapers generally refrained
from discussion of this point.
Great shipments of war supplies
began 10 assemble at the embark
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SCRAPS