New-York tribune., 1918-07-07

L6& described as "the
asA first authorized
.. description Of
what the Ameri-
-, forces have accomplished in
vance during their first eleven months
,.,+;e;pation in the war" The follow
no Is the first Of the articles:
srn. Americans in France are rapidly
,r,hiue to completion the longest and in
rany respects the greatest scheme Of COM
u,,,e.tions ever used In warfare. A trip
,,.r these lines to-day is deeply impress
,vs experience. Since MI. Newton d. Ba-
l.r. the United States Secretary Of War,
r.pected them less than three months ago.
.normous progress has been made. To-day
the work is fairly lesping forward; the
rcry landscape changes overnight.
after two solid weeks Of travel, inspect
ing every main phase and much Of the de-
tail Of this vast project, return convinced
that what the Americans have accomplished
since their first detachment Of troops land
ed in France eleven months ago will stand
out in history as one OF the greatest
this vast work upon the whole wax pro-
sramme is supremely important There is
70 doubt in my mind that the extent Of it,
the meaning Of 1t and the future posi-
bilities Of it should be made clear to the
public, both here and in the United States.
The Vast Problem Which
l Confronted America
basic facts. The French had all theis
sources Of supply near at hand, and the
establishment Of their lines Of communi-
cation was q comparatively simple affair.
The British, with all their sources much
further away from the fighting areas and
with water transport entering as an i'm
portaut factor into their scheme, had
much more difficult task in planning and
perfecting their supply service.
But great as was the British problem,
1 that which confronted the Americans when
they entered the war was immeasurably
greater. Their armies and all their war
materials had to be brought thousands of
miles from their sources Of supply; the
submarine campaign was at its highest
point Of efficiency; the adoption Of the con-
vOy system considerably reduced the ca
pseity Of hpping facilities, which, even in
tho most favorable circumstances, would
have bene totally inadequate to the de-
nands mad upon them; there were no large
modern ports on the coast Of France; nor
was there anything like sufficient railway
facilities to accommodate the vast stream
Of men and materials which must flow
steadily In. with constantly increasing VOL
, ume, from the date when the first detach-
nent Of United States soldiers landed on
French SOIL
AT the same time one must realize that,
from the moment war was declared, Amer
Na itself was rapidly resolving into huge
Engine Of war. With raw materials, in
dustries, coal and railways, all put quickly
nnder government control and the princi-
Pal forces of the country each day becom-
ing more centralized for the sole purpose
" multiplying the output Of war require
uents, the pressure toward France in
seased with startling rapidity; indeed, it
vas measured only by the utmost limit of
ssaiiable shipping space. That situation
has continued right up to the present, and
Sill continue, no matter how great tho
output Of new ships may be, for a con-
siderable time to come.
TO take care Of this steadily growing
'0lume of men, horses, guns, foods and
supplies, to resolve the modest existing IA
Oilties into permanent line Of communi-
@'ions hundreds Of miles In length, ade-
'uate to care for an army Of the future
numbering millions, at the same time meet
As all the transport requirements Of the
'"il population scattered over the great
stretch Of France through which these lines
'A'ended-that was the task which con-
''0nted the first detachment of American
'Agineers who landed here elevn moenths
i ago.