New-York tribune., 1918-08-18
The Great Programme

we nave HOW Il Wdl PiS CA''iA~'
definite in time; its dimensions are spe-
cifc. You could follow it with what the
statistician calls curve; that is to say
a line drawn upon chart to sho" the
progress and exact present status OF
given undertaking, like the curve of pig
iron production.
In his testimony before the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs, on the
new draft law. General March, our Chlef
of Staff, laid down the programme with
military precision and brevity. The main
points are these:
FIRST-"The purpose of America is
to furnish enough man power to whip
Germany from now on
SECOND-"The President has finally
announced that the American military
nolicv from this time on is centred on the
Western front, and we have declined to
be diverted from that one thing
THfRD-"The policy of the War De
partment is to put the maximum num-
ber of men in France with the idea of
shortening the war;
FOC n IL we lOuttt lhe'I VIC SOUA"
embark on programme of eighty dlvl-
sions in France by June go 1919.'
FIF'TH-"All of the men obtained un-
der the proposed change in the draft
law-approximately 3,200000-we ex-
pect to have in France by June 80,
1919.'
A year ago it was yet undecided
whether Americas contribution to the
war should be primarily industrial or
military. Since then we have learned
that it must be the utmost of both
We have sent already more than a
million men, which was enough to turn
the tide
Now we propose in the next ten
months to send 100000 more, so that
by the middle of next year there shall be
in France an irresistible force. 'It is
my belief says General March, chat
with an American army of 100000
men in France under one commander in
chief we can go through the German line
whenever we please"
That is our opinion, too, and we speak
Of the spirit An American army of
100000 will be such force as was
never seen on earth before. When it's
errand is finished the world will be
different place to live in.
In mere physical terms the undertake
ing upon which, according to General
March, 'the United States government
has been asked by her allies to embark"
is without parallel in the modern history
of human effort To France in ten
months, 100000 men, as soldiers. who
to-day are performing ten thousand sep
arate civil tasks, consuming none essen
tials, doing countless unproductiye
things, such, for example, as writing
editorials The difficulties are enormous
But they are technical only. They are
difficulties inherent in time, environment
and material. The will shall overcome
them.
If we succeed with this programme the
end of the war will be in sight ten
months from now. There is no sacrifice
we cannot afford to make to bring it off
We wish progress could be measured
daily, as in Liberty Loan drive, so that
every day we should know by the rise
or fall of the governments curve of
achievement whether yesterdays mass
effort had been above or below the mark.
Why not just that--a curve of progress
like the curve of the cost Of living? If
line can be made to show that the aver
age cost Of twenty staple commodities
or that one hundred Stock Exchange Sc
curities have gone up or down, similarly
line can be made to show in a very
thrilling way whether as a nation we are
day or week ahead or behind with
our undertaking to put 100000 men a
month into France, with all that that
means in shipping, munitions making,
sustenance and general self-denia