The Washington herald., 1918-08-17
The Program.

The United States is to have 100000 more
troops in France in the summer of 1919.
This much is assured. The only hurdle to be
passed is that relating to shipping, and Chairman
Hurley, of the Shipping Board, last night announc-
ed that seventy army transports will be ready to
cross the Atlantic next February-enough to trans
port 100000 troops monthly.
Gen. March has stated that an army of this size,
cooperating with the British and French, can
break the German line whenever and wherever it
pleases. He knows what he is talking about. The
events of the past few weeks have demonstrated
what the American army even in its present limit
ed numbers do.
Gen. March also has stated that "the freshness
and vgor of troops is the greatest single asset
the allies have Without being conscious of it, the
hammerings that the other nations have had now
for four years has greatly lowered their energy and
freshness and their fighting power, that when
this great mass of fresh Americans come in they
will have entirely different view of the fighting
from that which now exists along that line. And it
is and should be and is going to be policy to
get those millions of men together as an American
army and finish the in the shortest possible
time and not drag it out"
Secretary of War Baker also went to the Sen
ate yesterday and stated that it was the policy of
the War Department to concentrate all energies on
winning the war the Western front. Which
means that the United States must supply the
added force to crush Prussianism to drive the Ger
man armies back to Berlin if necessary-just
Grant drove the Confederate army to Richmond
No matter how large this force must be, we must
supply it. We may hope and believe that Ger
many will hoist the white flag before that time,
but we cannot base our plans upon it. The desper-
ate autocrats who framed the slogan world power
or downfall" are capable of resisting just the
army OF Lee resisted-to the utmost of its strength
and to the end of the chapter.
With this definite program ahead of us, pro-
gram that beyond doubt will be carried out, for
the United States will find it possible to place
1000 900 and the Western front in
the next ten months, can look for the war to
be brought to a close within the next year.
tainly the next eighteen months. And that, after
all, is mighty consolation. To feel the assurance
that by putting forth strongest efforts we can
prevent the war from drifting into stalemate or
bringing about such state of exhaustion in Eu-
rope will force all the nations to lay down their
arms before the great job is done.
1t is frequently stated that we will soon have
a greater army the Western front than Great
Britain has there. 1t is certain that will have
a greater army there next spring than the British
forces, at any rate. England has raised greater
armies than ours, but they scattered on seven
fronts, whereas will be concentrated one
with the exception of scattering regiments in
Murmansk and Vladivostok
The passage OF the new draft bill Will solve the
question of additional power. How about
ordnance? How about aircraft? These the
twin bugaboos ahead of US now
Artillery is not being produced in sufficient
quantity, says Gen. March. However, extraordinary
efforts being made to increase it, and be-
fore long quantity production should be attained
so supply all ordnance needs, except for
guns of the largest caliber, which will be manu-
factured abroad.
AS to aircraft, conflicting reports heard
Secretary of War Baker yesterday announced the
receipt of a telegram from Gen. Pershing which
stated that squadron of eighteen American-built
De Haviland planes, with Liberty motors, had been
sent reconnaissance over the German lines
This announcement will dispose of the sensation
now being bruited about that not single Ameri-
can plane is "in action" the front, because the
De Haviland IS are failure. AS a matter of fact
the De Hsviand As not failure, but be-
ing changed and improved upon all the time at the
suggestion of the airmen abroad and from other
sources.
The task ahead of is gigantic, but it has
placed America its mettle, and must make
good"