Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-13

! With the American Army i'm France,
Aug 10.
The announcement of the organiza.
tion OF the first American field army
marks a milestone in the military
| effort Of the United States. There
will soon be other milestones passed.
The announcement means that
/ America now has in tho field her first
large military unit. While the exact
size may not be given, it may be said
! to number more than 100000 men
| Heretofore the largest American unit
in operation has been an army corps.
! In one sense, the organization of the
! first American army means that the
American military effort has arrived"
in large way. Heretofore the Amer.
cans have been pupils. more or less
| Now enough divisions and corps have
been graduated from the school of ex.
| pericnce to make an army, which
stands independent of the tutors and
ready to perform any tasks laid upon
| it.
Foreshadowing the announcement
of the first American army, these dis
patches recently told the successive
steps by which American units from
companies up to corps cast off their
swaddling clothes and became self-sup-
| porting.
Pershing to Stabilize Force
1t was explained how at first the
smaller units served under their own
commanders. under French command.
l.;
as the size of the American unit in
creased so the responsibility increased.
1t is from realization of this that
General Pershing himself has assumed
active command of the first American
army.
No statement is made officially as to
how long he will retain those duties
in addition to those of Commander-in-
Chief, but it is safe to state that he
| will do so until the first American
army has earned a name for itself.
The divisions making up the army
have already made their name in re-
cent battles, and it is safe to judge
of the coming deeds of the army by
the performance of its constituent
! elements, No one, not even the Ger
mans. denies the bravery and ardor
of the American soldier, and in re
cont operations the American staffs
! have gained an experience which
iustifies the belief that they Will per-
form their larger tasks with credit to
their country's military reputation.
Army of 100000 Men
Each American division consists OF
40 600 men. Each corps comprises
two or more divisions, and an army a
number of corps. The corps COM
manders who have been named Tor
the first American army are MAJOR
Generals Liggett. Billiard. Bundy
Pod and Wright. This indicates five
corps in the army, and as each corps
viii have at least two divisions, this
Indicates a strength of at least 3OO,-
ooO men. In addition there are aux
iliary troops. air squads, tank service
heavy artillery. and so on.
This makes it certain that the first
American army will be one of tht
largest, if not the largest army nu
merically in France. with 5Oo,ooo al
the total of an American army; th'
rocent announcement from Washing
ton that 100000 troops We're II
, ISrance would provide for virtually
four armies, allowing for noncombat
ants.
The organization of American
| orroies will provide a school for thu
,a,,, divisions as they come over from
America, enabling the American com
mand TO take off much of that burdeI
from the French army.
Will Operate on Vesle
II NAV be guessed that the frs
: American army VIII operate IN .ha
area which will include the front Il
which the Germans have been driver
} ~, the recent successful Marine or
E ss,.iya oY the Allies. 1t was her
hat divisions included in the arm
S did excellent work in helping Marsha
: Eoch 10 carry out his plans. This vii
roean that along the Vesle will b.
= arouned the large military force ina
. America has so far massed.
The first army and other America
arnnIes. as they are formed, VIII. o
course be under the command OF Gen
eral Pershing, who in turn wiz 'e ns
I s,ons,hle TO Marshal Foch as CON
n ,,Iander of the Allied forces just
$ ~ Rritish army operates under Ger
e e, ne Haig, who is responsible to Focf
e ga &c the French, under General re
tain who answers to the Allied chiei
Z taiII'
: 'a,,u IWhar our troops first came I
: ,,uanca the soldiers went In with IN
d French in small units. getting a pr
t mary training. Gradually reglnieni ,1,i
came to function under @ Frehen sr u,N.
IT,, Commanders Then divisions wer
snnn,sd and trained under Frenc
norns commanders. Next, and oni
: recsntly, American corps began to OF
5 crate under French army command
2 ers. urou
I =, armies. Should there be 2.ooo'oo
q troops here In time for the spring
? fensivs there may be .ix Or seSs eye