The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-04-25
MORE THAN MILLION
IN FRANCE BY JULY 4
Government Takes Strong Meas
ures to Secure the Needed
shipping.

vide the facilities for transportation
the United States will put more than
100000 in France by the first of
July, and there are reasons today for
believing that the Government will
mobilize the necessary shipping.
The order has gone forth from the
President himself to concentrate all
the energies of the nation upon the
movement of men to the battle line,
and, while it is still necessary to
maintain the flow of foodstuffs and
war materials to France, these ship
ment for the next few months will
be subordinated to the troop move
ment.
President Wilson's decision to speed
up the dispatch of men to France is
the immediate result of the German
Offensive, and incidently, the agree
place General Foch in command of
all the forces in the field. The Pres
ident feels, as do both France and
Great Britain, that the hour has
come for the supreme effort that
Germany's military power must be
crushed now before it can recuper-
ate from the staggering losses of the
past few days, and that every avail
able man in the United States,
France and England should be put
in the field at the earliest possible
moment.
In line with this decision, the Uni
ted States expects to draw from ev-
cry training camp in the country.
National Guard divisions will prob
ably be moved to embarkation points
| first, being somewhat better trained
equipped. They will be followed,
however by the National Army as
swiftly as the ships can be assem-
bled.
AT the same time fresh levies of
draft troops will be put into training
\ new unit will be organized in ev-
cry National Army continent as soon
as Il trained unit is withdrawn for
foreign service. This will result in
calling 20 the colors in the immedi-
| ate future tens of thousands more
men than was anticipated few
weeks ago. The draft machinery
is even now in motion to that end
and brigades may be organized in
camps vacated by National Guard di-
visions if the National Army divis-
ions are not sent over as rapidly as
| is hoped for.
Another element in the situation
which has been considered by this
Government is the fact that Great
Britain has herself suffered severe
losses in men and France will like
wise make great sacrifices once the
whole French Army is in operation.
The German losses, 1t is assumed
here. are largely in excess of those
of the Allies todate, but once a coun-
lter-offensive is undertaken on a
large scale-and this offensive is in
levitable-the British and French ar
mics will be called upon to lose men
in great numbers.
Both countries have about reach
ed their maximum of man-power in
the field. Neither can provide and
great bodies of fresh troops except
by weakening their productive forces
at home. This means that America
must supply the additional men ne
lcessary to bring about the decisive
defeat of Germany. And to that end
the President is mastering all the
resources of the nation. Every YES
sci that can be built or purchaed or
seized will be employed in troop
movement. Every ship now used for
supply shipments which can be con-
verted in transport will be con-
verted.
Only the freighters which can
not possibly be adapted to the trans
port service will be used for food
munitions and general war material
The entire navy will be called upon
Tor conveys. However urgent the
demand for men in France, this
Government will take no undue risks
upon the seas. The transports will
be guarded no less effectively in the
future than they have been in the
past. and the fact might be remark
ed once more that no American SOL
dier abroad an American transport,
and conveyed by American warships,
has been lost. That there will be
some losses is expected. but it is a
matter OF qualification to every Gev-
lernment official that scores of trans
port fleets have safely navigated the
danger zone SO far without a casu-
atty.
America now has more than a mil
lion and a half men under arms, all
Iof whom are equipped for expedi-
luonary service and practically all OF
Whom have received sufficient train.
ing for field operations More OF
lthese men are even now in France
than nine out Of every ten people