Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-25
OVER 100000 MEN
SHIPPED OVERSEAS,
MARCH DECLARES
At That America Is Five
Months Ahead on Its SChed-
uIe, Chief of Staff Says in
Statement

Statement
WASHINGTON. June 22.--MOre than
100000 men have been shipped from
United States embarkation ports to aid
libertys cause overseas.
Undaunted by U-boats and despite OBJ
stacles which some called hopeless. this
nation has accomplished that vitality
tremendous task and is now about five
months ahead of schedule on man-pow-
er shipments.
Chief of Staff March made these sig
nificant announcements today, comforting
with newspaper men, and supplemented
them with statements:
First whenever the test has come,
American troops have done well;
Second, the general situation looks
we'll.
Third, the lull in France has given
an opportunity to replenish allied man.
power;
Fourth, Germany is refitting her COM
bat divisions and the world must ex-
pect a repetition of the Teuton drives.
The 100000 figure includes, accord
ing to General March, men in France
and on the high seas. combatants and
non-combatants. And, while he did not
Of Americas first million shipped over
seas by the first of July will become
reality.
1t was clear that General March re-
garded the Italian, British and French
defense of the Piave line as magnifi-
cent and that he considered the Boches
still held all the way both in France
and Italy. His statement that the gen.
eral war situation looks well' was
perhaps the most reassuring comment
from any high official source within re-
cent days
The drive behind che Montello hills
assumes a formidable character, he said.
But there was no mistaking that he
viewed confidently the prospects in
Italy.
He was loud in praise of Americas
work to date. They had delivered the
goods" he felt Cantigny and Chateau
Thierry were landmarks in American eff
fort so far. March would not comment
about forthcoming United States troop
assistance in Italy.
Unity of command advocated by
President Wilson, and accomplished by
appointment of General Foch, is of "su-
preme value" the chief held
THE lack of fighting along the French
front is of primary Importance to the
allies" he said, "by giving us a chance
to get more man-power. The United
States has now crossed the 100000
mark of troops shipped from ports in
America. Nine hundred thousand men
is large command, and in it are regu-
lar army troops, national guard, national
army and a small force of marines. The
marines amount to some $4,000 men"
General March's Statement
The United States has now crossed
the 100000 mark Of troops shipped from
ports in America" said General March
This includes men in France and on
the high seas. combatants and nom
combatants in which class are counted
medical people and the service of sup
ply. Nine hundred thousand men is
a large command and it includes regu-
lar army troops, national guard, ma
ttonal army and a small force of mar
ines. The marines amount to some
10000 men altogether. We have color
ed troops over there who are fighting
we'll So far, whenever the test has
come. regardless of the character of the
troops themselves, the American troops
have done well.
The fighting at Cantigny was han
died by our first division. under Major
General Robert l.. Billiard, and was
very striking example of the high-class
team work between infantry field artil-
lery and particularly the staff 1t shows
that our staff training, which is one
of the most important things in connec-
tion with the modern army, has now
reached the point where it can work
successfully. The first division is the
first division not only numerically, but
the first division landed in France, as
perhaps you all know, and is now a
thoroughly trained high-grade unit, and
so far has always delivered the goods
Rainbow Division Praised
"Other units, like the Rainbow divi-
sion. which was organized from all the
states in the union from national guard
units, commanded by Major General c.
l.. Menoher, is a fine reserve of the
national guard and has also done high
grade work At the Chateau Thierry
fighting, although the number of our
troops engaged was small, a good deal
Of important work was done by machine
gun units under a major whose name
I do not know. The whole brigade at
that point was commanded by General
James G. Harbord, who was recently
General Pershing's chief of staff, and
who has been transferred to that bril-
gade. The Twenty-sixth division is re-
ported as doing very we'll
"The general situation looks we'll The
present lull on the west front simply
means that Germany is re-fitting her
combat divisions and preparing for an
other drive. 1t does not mean that the
great battle is over at all. We can
look forward to a renewal and repeti-
ton of what we have been passing
through these past few months, as far
as German activity is concerned
THE United States is about five
months ahead of it's program"
Asked Equal Allowance