The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-01-24

Paris, Jan. 9.-Although the center
of all eyes, General John j. Pershlng
still has managed to stride 1orWard
unheralded and unrecorded but with
restless energy, on his great TASK Oh
organization. 49,.
Robinson Crusoe landed on his Island
with more equipment in hand than is
possessed by the ordinary American
soldier disembarking in France.
Large quantities of some supplies
have been moved into France by the
United States, but transportation ia
cilities have been insufficient to ham
die them as they are handled in the
United States, nor had the units
which the Washington authorities sent
to this country been able to attain a
functioning stage until General Perish
ing undertook series Of inspection
tours.
These tours have been a series of
surprise parties for certain branches
of the force and many heads have fall
en-just how many it is Impossible 70
say. :
The result has been to quicken the
pulses Of the forces, to relieve the con-
gestiotl at Headquarters offices in
Paris and to scatter the able men to
those parts of the war compass
where they may find the most suit
able field.
In September the American expedi-
tionary force began to attain respect
able proportions. It no longer was a
detachment able to support itself on
the local supplies Of the French. AS
the forces grew and as the command
er-in-chief began to tighten up the
supply lines, with the determination
of making the forces entirely indie
pendent of French assistance, the
need for considerable overhauling in
all departments of supply and admin
istration between sea bases and
training camps appeared.
Inspections Bring Results
Quickly observing these weaknesses,
the commander -in-chief, early in Oc-
tober, started out on series of swift
and quiet inspection tours, which
brought the entire army organization
to its feet at attention. The active
lighting forces we're and always have
been in the pink of condition. The
commander-in-chief continually had
been alert to every defect appearing
in the body Of his field units, and
rapid corrections have followed: 1t
has been for this reason that our
troops, overcoming more dlsadvan-
tages than any other army in the.
war, have, by their precision, energy
and capabilities, struck with wonder
the older and more experienced mill
tary nations -. ,~~r" "s.'...'
Between training camps and sea
bases the commander-in-claleA was
confronted with situation of more
difficulty than any other military COM
nlander probably has been called upon
suddenly to solve.
Units were arriving at their stations
in France without kits and equipment.
were thrown into incomplete barracks
without clothing to keep them warm,
and even, in few cases, without COW
erins to keep the ran from dripping
upon them as they slept.
Other units were supplied from the
reserves Of Allied nations on whose
fronts they were sent to work. Ihls
was the case with the engineers who
took part later in the repu!se OF the
German drive before Cambria. 9th
er units were receiving inadequate
food supplies.
On the other hand, there were fairly
large supplies Of food and building
material for military purposes avail
able in France, either in private hands
or sent by Washington, but they were
not reaching the places where needed.
In Paris, the United States army
ouartermaster was bidding against the
aviation supply department and every
other army purchasing department
until French consumers were COM
planning of the height to which Amer
lean buyers were forcing prices.
Consequently, official reports in
the future will reveal money lost in
this senseless scrable for supplies.
Proftaters were fastening themselves
like leeches on the American army.
Paris was filled with United States
army officers. The Y. M. C. A. hotel
on Rue de pExchiquier, open to en-
listed men, would have starved had
it not been for ambulance men, while
the Y. M. C. A. hotel on Rue de Hell
der, exclusively for officers, always
had waiting list for it's rooms: Prices
in restaurants and stores rapidly rose.
The auxiliaries of the army-the
ambulance, the Red Cross, and the Y.
M. C. A.-had been working along in
dependent lines, which naturally did
not add to the efficiency of the army.
That was in October. AS the new
year opens, an amazing change has
taken place. Many army men profess
they are unable to understand it.
But it is "Black Jack" Pershing's
New Year gift to the American ma
tiOn