Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-04-09
U.S.THRUSTsAS|DE
PRIDE To WIN WAR
Troops to Be Merged With
French and British.
PLAN APPROVED BY BAKER
Action Decided Upon at Conference
Attended by Secretary of War,
Pershing, Bliss and French
Officials.

washington, April 3.-The announce
ment from London that American
army units are to brigaded with Brit
ism and French organizations was in
terpreted by array officers here as in
dicating that the United States govern
ment is ready TO thrust aside all cues
uons of national pride in placing
American man power at the immedi-
ate disposal of the allies.
The plan was decided on at confer
ences between Secretary Baker, Cen
eral Bliss. General Pershing and Brit
ISL and French officials. So far as
known the war department had not
been officially informed of it.
To Rush Troops in Training.
Details of the method to be follow
ed are not available, and presumably
VIII be arranged by General Pershing.
There was every indication, however,
that American troops now in training
here are to be rushed across regard
less of their proficiency.
The British statement carefully
notes that the national aspect of Gen
eral Pershing's army is not to be i'm
paired. The building up of that pure
ly American war machine will proceed
as rapidly as possible. To supplement
that effort, however, other American
units will be fed to the front through
the French and British lines to meet
the present emergency.
Arrangements for the transporta-
ton of these additional forces" the
British statement said, "are now being
completed"
British Ships May Be Used.
This was regarded as an indication
that the full extent of British troop
ship capacity is to be devoted to TAX
ing forward American units and in
sures, 1t is said, the early delivery In
Europe of at least double the Ameri-
can man power that could have been
forwarded in the same time otherwise.
1t was noted that the statement
pointed out that the American forces
merged with the British and French
are to be withdrawn when their train
ing is completed, land General Per-
shing wishes to withdraw them to build
up the American army" To many off
GERS here, however, the picture pre-
sented after active operations is one of
French-American and British-Ameri-
can units of the French and British
armies, in which the individual SOL
diers will be so intermixed that it will
be impossible to withdraw them with
out disintegrating the divisions or brig
AIDES.
Whatever efforts may be made to
keep a purely American unit in vet
eran division of one of the other arm
les. officers say, the exigencies of con-
fiict, and the problem of replacing
losses will lead to the creation ulti-
mately of composite battalions rather
than of divisions, composed of French
and American or British and American
units.
Complete Merging of Armies.
A complete merging of the men is as
certain, it is believed, as is the merg-
ing of regular army, National army
and National Guard units in the Ameri-
can army. There is no practical way
to avoid it, officers say, without i'm
pairing the efficiency of the entire
force.
There are many officers who believe
this to be the only practical solution
of the transportation and supply prob
lens, if American military power is to
be made Immediately available to repel
the German onslaught.