The Washington herald., 1918-01-14
U. s. EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
In FRANCE is I'LL EQUIPPED

, America will find that she must also. -
Red tape Is the unionism of the gov
ernment service:' it is standardizing in
huence "going down." which throttles
ability and levels all departmental eff
fort to the lowest instead of the high
est standard of efficiency; and for the
red tape which stultifies normal intel
ligence. commend me to the brand
which tradition in the army has i'm
posed upon the medical service, where
medical reports can. reach medical
HEADQUARTERS for action only after
making the long, slow passage through
the line-thatfs Is, from commanding Of
Gcer of the regiment to commanding
officer of the brigade. then 10 the divi-
sion. then to headquarters, and thence
to medical headquarters.
By illustration, cite one case where
ii took two and ene-half rnonths-not
days or weeks. but months-for the
report of a medical officer-a colonel
| and the ranking medical officer in
France at the time-to arrive atrmedi-
| cal headquarters.
AS this urgent report. with its con-
structive suggestions, dragged its tor
tuous way toward headquarters the
| soldiers 1t qpcerned were without
rroper housing and clothing, and a
number of suicides from home sick
ness and depression resulted.
England had the same efficiency
destroying system at the beginning
of the war, but soon was forced to
change for the good of its men.
The Italians in the 'Libyan cam
paign suffered under a similar
method and promptly saw the wis
dom of abolishing it in order to
conserve an excellent condition Of
mind and body in their soldiers. To-
day in the British, French and
Italian armies medical reports go
through medical officers TO medical
headquarters ecd no line officer
can delay or stop them.
Secrecy between a people and
their government is a mischieyous
element in national life. Lloyd
George told England in one of his
stirring speeches not verv long ago
that a nation which is not virile
enough to hear the truth about it
/ self is not a first-class power.
borrowing from France.
Nine months ago we entered the war.
! Today we are giving no land aid to
I our allies in a military sense, while
! we are drawing on them for our
| equipment essentials of which they
have no surplus to spare US easily.
Talking with French officers on this
subject. / asked If they could spare
| the guns and ammunition and gaso-
line they were giving US They an
swered: What will you? You must
/ have them; your army has none; we
must let you have them so long as we
possibly can. We do our best; 1t is re-
ducing our reserves: wee have no am
pie surplus; we hope you will quick
be able to bring your own supplies"
| We have made high promises. there
| has been large taIk OF our potentiali-
! ties. but our actual showing thus far
is incompetence in the outntting and
purchasing and forwarding depart
| ments of our Quartermaster; and
| wrangling, red tape and disorganiza-
| tion, which are responsible for ouT
present inability to furnish our soldiers
with machine guns. rifles, ammuni-
ton. ordnance and suitable clothing.
ly be able to bring your own sup
plies"
| 1t is lamentable breakdown and
| the cause of much disquiet In France
not only for its disappointment in our
widely heralded efficiency. but for the
further sacrifices it suggests IS likely
to cost her.
1t is not too much to say that UuI
failure to equal our allies natural cx.
pcctatIons of this great wealthy, IN.
dustrial nation is ansWfrabie for the
! very grave situation which makes tn,
+, coming six months as critical as tho
first six months OF the war.
With ample warning and time
for preparation, with unlimited
manufacturing facilities. untold
wealth and the models and counse
of Great Britain and France tC
guide us. we should have put ouI
men afield with the very best pos.
sible equipment, instead Of which
we have sent them to trials OF
body and spirit. of endurance anG
patient courage such as men never
have met before this WARMTH ar
equipment in some respects tn,
least practical. the least comforta.
BILE and serviceable
The efficiency and organization
upon which We pIumed ourselye,
and for which the world took us al
our word, have been conspicuous,
absent so far as the proper euuip.
ment and maintenance of our lttl,
army in France is concerned.
Is Their Bignessf
We have voted great sums for III,
war and made huge programs, but no
yet as people have We risen above
selfish individualistic ambitions fo
comfort or power or Profit. Democ
racy, narrowly viewed, makes for in
dividualistic development to tndiyId
ualistic rewards. It is for us now i,
the face of menace and the call of ou
allies in our ears to show if we cal
merge the individual into united cf
fort for the state and for tine cause
on which hangs the fate of the yer,
democracy by which we live anC
prosper.
We must prove big enough to ris,
to this need, else we shall he too lat,
next spring in France. and so justi
~ Germany's estimate of US.
Some of us, through the press. ar
still patting ourselves on the oacl
over what I'VE have done;r but It he
hooves us to be modest before tn,
great deeds, under greater handicap!
than OnrS Of