The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-03-30
NO PESSIMISM
AT THE FRONT
Pershing's Troops Are Fully
Equipped, Says General
Bell, Just Returned
OFFICERS FITNESS
A VITAL MATTER
For This Reason Bell Con-
siders Pershing a Better
Man Than Himself

Washington, March 3O.-Major Gen
oral j. Franklin Bell, second senior gen
eral in the American army, yesterday
branded as false the widely -crculated
report that the German drive which has
held the attention of the world for the
last eight days was a surprise TO the
British army
at has been reported that the Brit.
ish were partially ignorant of whas was
going on behind the German lines" said
the general in testifying before the SEN
ate committee on military affairs re.
garding his observation in France. The
report is untrue, rs | am personally
aware. The British knew what the Ger
mans were preparing to do.
The German general stan was charac-
terized by The general as the best gen
era staff in the world. Later in his
testimony he qualified the statement by
saying that il was one of the best. He
declared that army officers deteriorate
after they pass the age of fifty years,
saving that while ii was his desire TO go
to France, he would submit with good
grace and say nothing if the medical
board which has been examining him
daily since Monday, submits an unfa-
vorable report" He has been in the
service forty-three years.
The morale of the allied armies,
French British and American, the gen
eral said, was excellent. The morale
is higher the nearer the front you GO"
said the general. Il heard no pessimism
except in the far rear among. non COM
batants. where they know nothing OF
conditions in the front line The most
pessimistic expressions came from the
representatives of the press who were
going through their first experience of
warfare. | probably would have felt
the same if | were getting my baptism
of warfare"
The general said that one American di
vision was in the front line trenches
when he left France. He said that SO
far as he knew General Pershng's com
mand was fully and completely equipped,
saying he believed there had been mis-
apprehension concerning certain tea-
lures of equipment" He said the trou-
bic came at first when the troops be-
gan to arrive in France and when neces-
sary equipment was delayed because
of the transportation shortage. He said
there was not the slightest doubt that
American troops fighting in France were
using French made artillery exclusively.
Germany" said the general, pos
sesses the best general staff in the
world 1t is able to profit by retaining
the service of few rather old generals.
will change my statement by saying
that Germany has one of the best gen
eral stats. The test of war in the 9th
err armies, however, has demonstrated
that, other things being equal, physical
yigor is an asset so great IN general
way that no country can afford to disre-
gard it.
TO make my meaning clear | will use !
myself as an example. When ] went to |
the Philippines in the Spanish American !
war ] do not suppose there was bet
ter physical specimen than | was at
the time. | was then forty-two years !
old. ] could work an unlimited number
of hours day and | worked constantly |
in that tropical cline month IN and |
month out without a day off duty. |
have carried the marks ever since. | am
still, in my own mind, in pretty fair |
physical condition, but if the medical
board makes a report untavorabe and II
my superiors determine that it is to the
interest of the nation that | should serve
in the United States insteal of in France
/ will submit with good trace and win
say nothing ! feel that it is the only
soldierly thing for soldier to do.
But shall regret it and shall contin
ne to think | could render more valuable
service in France than | could render in
the United States, because there are few
officers who have had greater experience
in actual warfare and in commanding
large bodies of men, However it is for
the United States to decide where
can render the best service. If it be not