Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-17
100000 AMERICANS
in FRANCE BY JAN. |
Such is Number Promised, De.
Clares Premier of France
in Newspaper
NO CONFIRMATION HERE
Paris, May II.

Paris, May H.
Premier Clemenceau's newspaper,
L'Homme Libre, says the United
States has promised to have l.5Oo'ooo
fighting men in France by the end
of 1918 These troops, it adds. must
have their own organization and serN'
ices, which will mean at least 100000
specialists. workers, men in the quar-
termaster's department and others.
The newspaper says certain mlsun-
derstandings which had existed have
been cleared up and that in no cir
cumstances will Allied workers or sol
diers replace French workers in fac
tories. The presence of American
workers on French soil will be an in
direct consequence of the presence of
American fighters on the front.
Rene Renault, president of the
Army Committee of the Chamber OF
Deputies, laid before a meeting of
the Socialist Radical party. the largest
in the chamber, Premier ClemenCeau's
declarations after the Inter-Allied con-
ference at Abbeyville early this month
regarding the utilization of American
aid, which is being importantly deVel'
oped NJ. Renault also showed the
utility of small tanks as REINFORCE
ment for infantry.
London, May II. - Arrangements
are beirg made on the western front
to care for 100000 American troops,
Harry E. V. Britain, secretary of the
English branch of the Pilgrims Club,
told the Royal Colonial Institute. II
the Germans do not give in, he adden,
the number of American troops will
be increased to any amount necessary.
Sir Charles P. Lucas, formerly head
of the dominions department at the
colonial office, said he wondered If
the Germans realized what t,tl entry
Of America into the war meant. It
meant, he said, not only the aCCes.
sion to the Allied Powers of many mil.
lions of fighting men and the addition
of vast resources. but also the coming
in of the only one among the great
peoples of the world who have seen
and carried through to an unmistaka.
BILE issue a four years war.
Washington, May 17.-Army officials
are more than ever hopeful that a
powerful American force will be co.
operating with the Allies there by the
end of the year, as more than 100000
men are admittedly now in France.
Unhappy experience with Oversan-
guine estimates of what can be accom-
plished makes them slow to put their
hopes into definite predictions, how
ever, and it is not possible to obtain
specific confirmation OF the reports
from Paris that 100000 fighting
troops before January l had been
promised.
The statement in Premier Clemen
ceau's newspaper that such a promise
had been made was not believed by
army officers generally to mean that
the American Government should def
nitely pledge itself to deliver a spe-
cific number of men within a Tins
limit. Many factors are involved III
making such a calculation months in
advance
Secretary Baker would make nc
comment on the statement Many
weeks ago he told the Senate Military
Committee however, the Government
then had hopes of getting 100000 tc
the front during the year. Since ther
his estimate that 100000 men woulc
reach France early in the year has
been fulfilled and since then also the
German drive has changed the whole
course of events and brought about E
speeding up of American participation
which has already shown results.