South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-06-28

total OF more than 20 divisions
of fighting men numerically equal
To 30 German divisions. already i'm
line or about TO reach the line, j.
a contribution no man would
have believed possible six months
ago. and IA contribution which has
totally upset German calculations
as to the present campaign.
More than this. our men i'm in
dividual units and as divisions
have done better than was expect
ed of them. The little affairs at
SeiCheprey. which is already for
gotten, made "A profound impress
sion upon the French. There WAS
some feeling i'm our high COM
mSnd that our first line stayed i'm
position too long. that il should
have retired more promptly. but
French officers and men who saw
the performance praised the couf-
age and tcnacity of the men who
stuck it, unreserVedly and in
sisted upon decorating the cOlOrs
OF the unit involved.
The Americans can feel about
their army in France that its ar
rival i'm its present numbers -
one of the great achievements Of
military history: that the way IL
y taking hold has brought new
hone and confidence To our allies.
and that we are already "a real
factor i'm the war. a no one eN-
pccted We could become i'm this
terrible and critical year. We
have not fought i'm a great battle,
we have not taken any consider
able part i'm a iirst-rate engage
ment. but we have done what
was asked of rs and more, and
at Seicheprey and Cantigny and
i'm BeIIeau woods, we have done
il i'm "a manner which has not es-
capped the attention or praise OF
British and French officers, who
at this time i'm the war are not
oVer-easily pleased.
As IL now stands, our troops are
put into active service i'm some
fashion en- the front for one
month after they arrive i'm Eu-
rope. BY July 1 we shall have
100000 in line. and another IOO.-
900 will be available before Aug.
1. We are sending over to- France
2OO. 600 a month and can keep IL
up almost indefinitely. and this
means that we are adding To
Foch's army at the rate of 16 Ger
man divisions each month. This
contribution. moreover, is equal
TO the strength of the annual
increment 10 the French army
coming from the new class OF re-
cruits. It il nearly half a. large
a. the income Germany draws
from each of her classes.
We are going To have surprises
and disappointments. sad losses
and unacceptable failure. But il j.
the universal testimony of all who
return from France that our
young officers and our young sol
diers learn promptly. learn will
ingly and are mastering the great
lessons with "a success which
earns and deserves general COM
mcndatiOn.
We already have reason to be
proud of our army i'm France. It
il already fact and factor i'm
this supreme crisis of allied for
tunes. If il has not vet restored
the balance of numbers between
the enemy and FOch il will do il
before the campaign il over.
Ii is year since one battalion
of American troops struggled TO
keep their ranks i'm their march
through Paris. year since they
stood i'm the field or the inValids,
surrounded by mob of cheering
Parisians. who saw I'm this slight
force the pledge OF "A real force
which was To come. And we have
come Our new troops are not
the match for German veterans.
nor i'm anything but courage the
equals Of the men Of Pctain and
Haig who have stood fast for four
years. 10 i no time TO boast or
to eNaggeratc. 30 far our achieve
ment has been solid rather than
brilliant. but il j. an achievement
which will be remembered fOD-
ever when the victory i won.
We we have our first million Of
fighting men i'm Francc-and VIC
shall have them toward the end
of this campaigu-the German, if
nc has not won the war beyond
all question, will have lost IL be-
yond recovery. for a million this
year means two next. and N post
pOncmcnt OF German decision To
next year means an adjournment
without date.
And i'm defeating the German
bid for decision ina the next two
months, n FOch can be- counted
upon To- do. no less than half
a million Americans are ready To
do their share
We are i'm Picardy. Champagne.
Lorraine and AISace now. ON the
line and Ina the fight our first di-
visions have proved their mettle
and won their spurs; we can ~
proud without Boosting and CRATE
ful without setting upon their
service value which our own
soldiers are. thc first ~ reject.