Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-10
LLOYDGEORGE
Continued from Pace one)

TO the mdSHlHCent conduct OF our tTooPS.
They retired in perfectly good order. re-
establishing the junction between the
two armies and frustrating the rePemy's
purpose. The House can hardly realize
and certainly cannot sufficiently thank
nor can the country--our troops for their
superb valor and grim tenacity with
which they faced overwhelming hordes
OF the enemy and chung to their posi-
tons. They retired, but were never
routed. and once more the cool pluck
of the British soldiers that refuses to
acknowledge defeat saved Europe"
"Up to the present the enemy has UNI
doubtedly obtained a great initial sue
cess. There is no good in not accept
ing facts. 1t is from that basis We
must begin to build. But he has fails
SO far in his main objects. He failt d
to capture Amiens. He failed to sept
rate the French and British armies.
The enemy has captured valuat e
ground which is too near Amiens f)r
'mfort or security, and he has Ste
ceeded for tile time being in crippling
one of our great armies.
THE cabinet took every step to hurry
up reinforcements in order to fill up the
gap in our armies. No such large num-
bers Of men ever crossed the channel in
so short time. AS the emergency was
great it was impossible to allow those
who were summoned to France the
usual leave to visit their relatives.
There was an understanding that
boys under 10 years would only he
USED in case Of emergency. We felt
that the emergency had arisen, and
insofar as those who Were over IS
were concerned those who had al
ready received six months training
we felt it necessary that they should
be sent to France.
AS to the guns and machine guns
which were lost. the numbers are
grossly exaggerated by the enemy.
am assured by the commander in
chief that they have also exagger4t-
ed very considerably the number Of
prisoners.
II am very glad to be able to say
that the ministry of munitions was
able not merely to replace these guns
and machine guns. but still has a
very substantial reserve. The same
thing applies to ammunition.
Our aircraft strength is great
or now than before the battle. ard
we all know what brilliant services
our airmcn rendered in this battle"
II should like to call the attention
Cf the House to the material and dra-
matte assistance rendered by Pres
ident Wilson. in this cmergency-ore
Of the most important decisions #
the war. In fact the issue of the bat
tic might very well be determined by
this decision.
In America there IS q very conSlh
cradle number Of mon in the course
Of training and the allies looked for
ward to having n large American ~
my in France in the spring. 1t HIS
taken longer than anticipated to turn
these soldiers into the necessary di
visional organizations.
This was. of course. one Of the
most serious disappointments from
which the allies had suffered. 1t is
no use pretending it was not one IF
our chief causes OF anxiety. We de-
JNld tf'oh IL StlN w h'bh' Wy Wv
detection of Russia For many rea-
sons-rca sons. perhaps. of transport.
reasons connected with the time ii
takes, not merely to train troops and
their officers. but to complete the no
ceSsary organization--it was a.iic
impossible to put into France tn?
rumher of divisions everyone had
confidently expected would be thee.
Under the circumstances y" there
fore submitted to the President If
the United States a definite propus-
al.
I'VE had the advantage Of having tn
secretary of state for war in this coun
try within two or three days after the
battle had commenced. Mr.. Balfour and
| had long conversation with him up
on the whole situation. and we submit
ted to him certain recommendations
which we had been advised to make to
Mr.. Baker and the American govern
ment.
con the strength OF the conversati on
We submitted proposals to President
Wilson with the strong support of Pre-
mier Clemenceau to enable the combat
ant strength of the American army to
come into action during this battle. in
asmuch as there was no hope of ii COM
ing in as a strong separate army. By
this decision American battalions would
be brigaded with those of the Allies.
This proposal was submitted by Earl
Reading on behalf of the British gov
eminent to President Wilson. and Pres
,dent Wilson assented to the proposal
without any hesitation with the result
that arrangements are now being made
for the lighting strength of the Amer
lean army to be Immediately brought
to bear in this struggle a struggle
which is only now beginning to this ex-
tent-and it is no mere small extent
that the German attack has been he'll
up. 1t has stirred up the resolution and
energy Of America beyond anything
which has yet occurred
MAY / not say just one word about
Gen. Foch? 1t is not merely that he is
one of the most brilliant soldiers in Flu
rope, but there is this to be said about
him. Foch Is the man who. when We
were attacked and were in a bad nigh,
at the first battle of Ypres. rushed the
French army there and undoubtedly
helped to win the great battle"