The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-13
YANKEES TO WAIT

Continued from Page One,
be redoubling of effort to equip them
with all the necessary heavy artillery
and other engines Of war to quickly
bring the full strength of a great army
to the battle front.
Shows Allied Confidence.
Some officials in touch with the
progress of the draft have recently
predicted that every available man in
class 1 would be called to the colors
during the summer. Roughly this
means that more than 100000 in ad-
dition to more than I 100000 who at
the present rate of progress either will
be in France, in camp in this country
or under orders to move to canton
ments on May Is, the first anniversary
of the passage OF the draft law.
The confidence of the British mill
their line until American aid arrives
in full force, or at least exact such a
heavy toll of German life in falling
back that the actual advantage always
will be with the allied armies is very
gratifying to military experts here.
Some of them are not in full accord
with the reported new plan of making
practically no use of the American
army until it reaches its full strength.
Change Is welcomed.
American army officers, however,
, made no secret that they welcome the
brigade American unirs with the allied
armies for operations as we'll as for
| training was accepted only because it
appeared to be the only way to meet
the pressing cry for man power as the
German offensive was at its height in
the first phase 1t was distastefu1 to
American officers because it meant
submerging the units and possibly a
loss of the qualities of initiative and
dash among the American forces upon
which officers have been relying in
hoping they would be able to turn the
scale against the Germans. They re-
call Field Marshal Haig's backs to
! the WALL statement to his army as
evidence of the conditions that made
the sacrifice necessary.
The war cabinet statement is re-
garded as highly encouraging in the
sense that it indicates that British
military opinion regards the German
attack as having passed its maximum
power. Officers here have not held
that view. As to its statements in
regard to the American troops dis
positions. however, the announcement
is regarded as not clear
Shows New Policy.
For one thing it speaks of the en-
tente as having reached a new policy
on American aid. The Versailles
| council. or General Foch. supreme
commander, would be more logical
sources Kof SuCn announcement the
British war cabinet is only one MEM
Der of the group. it is said.
Lord Reading. the British ambassa-
dor. in a statement here today de-
clared that the announcement COM
ing by way of Ottawa that the Ameri-
can army would not be fully utilized
on the western front until developed
to its full strength was directly oppo-
site to information he had received
from the British war cabinet and that
he was in the dark as to its mean
ing
The ambassadors statement added
to the puzzle in which American Of
ficers found themselves today on
reading the announcement from OF
tawa- Confidential Information reach
ing here recently indicated that such a
plan as outlined from Ottawa was un-
der discussion
A Big Surprise
The announcement in view of the