Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-12-04

NO one OF the visiting officers and
no one of our own officers who are
in conference with them is in ignOr-
ance of the exhaustive studies which
Major Sargent has made of strategy
and of the high standing which his
works on military operations have at
tanned in the war offices of the world.
POintedly, the thing which some
thing more than interests civilians
here is why has not he war depart
ment taken chance, If one may so
put 1t, and selected the one American
soldier whose strategic studies have
been endorsed by the world, to bear
hand in the active constructive work
of the headquarters planning in the
city of Washington?
1t may be, of course, that the war
department has done this, but again
the suspicion is that it has not. There
is probably not an officer in the United
States army who, if consulted by the
civilian mill rary authorities, would not
suggest that Major Sargent be brought
forth from his clOister to the scene of
active duty, if not in the field at least
at the great council table which soon
will be surrounded by the students of
strategy of all nations.
Veterans Here to Help.
At the various American canton
ments today there are British army
officers on special missions who have
just taken up the work of advising
their American brethren in the matter
OF training of new troops for the
trenches.
1t has been learned that a mistake
was made when it early was asserted
that these seasoned veterans of the
front line trenches in France were to
act directly as instructors to the Amer
lean forces now in training In this
country. Of course they will be in
structOrs In high sense, but their in
structiOns will be given through the
mediumship of American line officers.
The authorities have thought it best
that the duty should be done in this
way.
- These veterans of the British line
are splendid men physically, and I'M
questiOnably so mentally and morally
or otherwise they would not have been
sent to America. They are soldier
sOldierlike in service. Nearly every
one of them has been wounded in bat
tle, and all of them repeatedly have
been through the hell of the fighting
ut the British front.
Major Bishops Great Record.
/ spent couple of hours with these
officers of the British service. One of
them, Maj. William Avery Bishop, has
won the Victoria Cross, and the Mill
tary Cross. and twice has been given
the decoration of the Distinguished
Service Order. The French, 1t is said,
are arranging to give him the Cross
of War. 1t is probable that no other
man in the warfare of all time has
won such recognition for high gal
lantry He is a Canadian from Owen
Sound, in the Lake Huron country and
he is only twenty-three years old.
This youthful Canadian is an avia
tor and only one man in all the arm
les of Europe has surpassed his rec
ord. and that man is dead Guynemer,
the Frenchman, brought down 80 Ger
man airplanes. Guynemer held the
record. but he is gone Bishop has
brought down AT German airplanes,
and has engaged single handed in 40
fights. He is the marvel of the Brit
ish air service. In his 40 battles he
never has received q scratch.
1t is not likely that Aviator Bishop
will remain long in the United States.
He has won a rest, but he does not
look as If he needs it. He went
straight to his canadian home on his
arrival at an Atlantic port, and soon
thereafter married "the girl he left
behind him" when he went flying to
the front two years ago. Bishop never
sat in the seat of flying machine IN
til after he had reached England. Fly
ing seems to be an instinct with him.
Other Distinguished Men Here.
Among other British officers here
whom I nave met and talked with at
length are Major Day, and Captains
Hall Greene and Hermann. Major
Dav has been a British regular for
wears. He went to France with the
first British army and fought with It
back to the Marine, and then from the
- al l. T.
the fight in which the Germans first
used poisonous gases. Major Day and
one comrade officer are the only ones
still attached to the regiment with
which they entered the war.
This British major went TO the Phil
ippines and fellowshiped with Ameri-
can regulars for a while. He is SEEM
ingly somewhat proud of the fact that
he can roll, after American teaching,
a certain brand of tobacco into we'll
made, compact cigarette, and smoke
it with the enjoyment which he does
not get from the readymades.
Major Day will stay in Washington
for time, while Captains Hall,
Greene and Hermann will go to the
American environments. Two of these
officers are Irishmen, one from the
South and the other from the North of
the island. and the third from the Mid
lands of England The three have
been at the front from the very start
of the war. They have served and
have been wounded. and are now in
this country still TO work at war. but
to undertake a service in American
camps which to the battle-tried ones
must seem to be a recreation.