Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-29

Washington, March ~.
The Senate Military Committee today
heard Major General j. Franklin Bell
ina sweeping analysis of conditions in
France from the great drive to the
American expeditionary forces.
That the Allies. by reason of their
knowledge of German plans and prepara-
tions to meet them, had whipped the
Teutons before the west drive began
was the declaration of General Bell.
The Allied withdrawal was based, he
said, upon complete familiarity with
every step of the German preparation
for the offensive.
II knew of the British plans in a gem
eral way before ! left France" he added
He told how each side Is able now to
tocate enemy artillery by stationing OBJ
server 5 who listen for the sound of guns
Six of these listeners report and their
reports are combined, with the result
that an aerial observer is enabled to fly
over "A certain position and verify the
fact that gun or battery Is located
there.
Then it is easy to force the enemy
to move his guns said General BEL.
Guns seldom Destroyed
In spite of lavish fire on these posi-
tions, the guns themselves are seldom
destroyed.
II can assure you that General Per-
shing has established schools and Is
taking advantage of all the latest scien-
tific methods of combating the enemy.
General Bell gave interesting infor-
nation on the duties and proper ages
for officers
THE British colonel in the line is al
most as extinct s.the 'dodo." he testi-
fled. II have never seen one in the line,
although they have them on the stan" ."
Frequent visits TO the trenches and
the ability TO stand all varieties Of
weather preclude all but active men u
good health from duty abroad, the
general said.
'The brigade commander must fire.
quently visit the trenches" he said. THE
division commander must visit them
from time to time and the supreme COM
mander need never visit the trenches
although the wise commander-in-Chief
VIII frequently appear in the first line
TO cheer his mem
"a Wants TO Serve in France
General Bell then turned to discussion
of American officers over sixty. Taking
his own case as an example. he said
that while he believes 10 Government
can afford TO overlook physical vigor in
its field officers, he believes the cxpe-
rience Qf such men as he--ne mas been
in the army forty -four years--would be
. valuable
II was given Il searching physical
examination this week" said Bell "Sornc
of my superiors don't agree with me
that l am still a pretty good physical
specimen. l haven't heard the verdict
.iof the examining board yet. Bur II
I am not permitted TO serve in France
shall continue To think that | might
perhaps have rendered more valuable
aid there than by serving in this coun-
try. There are only Il few Of us lert
who have had actual experience in war.
General Pershng ranks fourth IN
seniority among American generals
while l rank second. but [ have stated
10 him and to others that | firmly be-
lieye his selection as conmander-in-
chief was wiser than If I had been sent
and that selection, ] believe, was made
solely on the ground of age
Explaining his desire to serve I'M
France despite his siXty-twO years, Gen
'eral Bell said:
Il am no glutton for glory But
don't want TO spend the rest of my life
explaining why | did not serve in
France
General Bell said tho morale among
American and Allied troops is the high
est.
"The only pessimsm | found was
far to the rear. among noncombatants
who didn't know front-line conditions
said Bell, THE most pessimistic Of al
Z were newspapermen. In their place I'd
have been just the same way. The
nearer you get to the front the higher
the morale. Nobody when / left, had
the slightest fear Of German prowess."