American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-03-15

We cannot publicly discuss what
you meant by a Substantial" army, nor
is 1t necessary, for it is included in
the 500,O 900 men you expect to have in
France by summer. Between then
and fall Il ought to be possible to send
over another 500. 900. Giving them
three months to finish off their train
ing would mean hat we should have
a million men ready to fight on Feb
ruary 1, 1919 Qess casualties), with
your other SOC, 900 in reserve in France
finishing its training. From that
time on the numbers should increase
rapidly.
This programme limits us TO a minor
part in the conflict this year. 1t is
even hard TO find a military authority
who believes that this is a sufficient
programme to be sure of victory over
the German armies in 1919. II is GER
tainly the least accomplishment which
the American public expects. for the
public cannot but believe that the
energies OF 100 million intelligent
people, il properly directed, should,
after two years, be able to deliver a
blow that would defeat the armies of
20 millions who are already outnum-
bered and who will then have suffered
five years of war. Even 5000 miles
of ocean ought not to prevent hat.
Your tone of optimism and your
; figures give us reason to hope for at
least such a result. But, Mr.. Baker,
there are other things which have
? come to our attention which give US
misgivings. which sometimes make us
! doubt whether you are not misleading
= yourself and us.
! It was only a few days before you
I announced that there were 1900, 900
e men ready to go to France hat there
9 appeared a statement by the medical
r branch of the army that during the
e four months ending On January IS,
5 1918, the average enrolment in all
a cantonments, forts, etc, in the United
d States was 1,100,000 men. The men
added since can not be far advanced
in training. Even this million, on a
\ service basis, would have been short
of rifles, machine guns, shoes-in fac
short of practically every item o.
.e equipment-if they had gone when
ID you stated they were ready to go. I'm.
n doubtedlysyou were counting upon tn,
m fact that they would get equipmen.
IS before transportation could be ar
n ranged for them. Moreover, it is hard
1t ly possible that all these men can q
L abroad even if they are equipped, TO
Is we shall need a good many to guari
le the Mexican border, to garrison Pana
IT ma and other outlying posts, and t
ne protect military and munition-makinI
to property in this country.
These things cause most people VIII
follow u war preparations closet
grave concern. They arouse fear tina
us you are not planning to insure Ger
w man defeat even in 1919. Moreover
you do not yourself set the Germa
in defeat as your standard. When 20
tell us that no other army was eve
a raised, equipped, and trained as raj
Xix idly as ours, you seem to set othe
llf nations accomplishments as our goa
err, But If We beat all records and los
re the wal or even p%rolong the war,
dy is nothing.
as But even If this standard you S,
so were a sufficient one, we still hay
lie some misgivings about your facts. tt
I'D comparison is. of course, aimed
or Great Britain. for 1t is the only natiC
which had to raise, train and equ.
* al army under conditions similar
ne ours. Great Britain is a nation of LEI
Eat than half our population. In Il
Ill. British Isles a million men were raj
lst ed in two months-not counting Il
I'm regular army and territorials. Tv
ect million men were raised in a yea
The regular army and territorials b
= gan fighting Immediately. The fir
of the new armies attacked the &c
mans nine months after war bega
At the end of fifteen months the Br
ish forces. including Canadians al
Australians, had had 495. 900 casus
ties. In that time. too, they had tran
ported a substantial expeditiona
force to Gallipoli.
The United States is just as Wilt
and able to fight as is Great Brita
and il our record does not compa
%fayorably with the British record it
the fault of the management of {
war, not of the country's ability
fight.
We had misgivings. Mr.. Baker, abe
your attitude toward preparedne
and they We're justified. We had m
giyings about your early vision of G
part in this war. They too. unhappi
have been verified. The anxiety abe
your present vision is not altogett
allayed. We have been at least
worried as you have been about
organization of your department.
recent reorganization has happ
cleared much of that misgiving awI
We are still of the opinion that tn,
are too many boards of advisers
aud round fha mo- I.,, t...,.t !
there is great comfort in the fact Il
| you have in vital positions such n
as Mr.. Trip. Mr.. McRoberts. !
Franklin, Mr.. Stettinius and Gene
Goethals.
II is a great encouragement to
T. pubic arso-that YOU have sSeogHii
the general staff. That body's mi
\ duty was to give you and the presidl