The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-05-14
U. S. FORCES
Continued from First Paye.)


inE army.,has not been changed or modi-
fled in any way.
director OF Public Information
NichollS said tonight that he had re-
ceiv"d nothing further In regard IT, the
Americans and that the story was Is
sued as Il came TO him through tho reg
ular official channels. There is pos
sibllIty Of Il mistake occurring in trans
mission. and investigation may clear
this point.
WASHINGTON, May lS.--Amerlcan
officers were inclined tonight TO char
aclrrize reports from London. vim o..
ava that American troops would not
be used until a complete and powerful
American army had been developed in
France. as an rrh" rs Tho political CON
trovnrsy rrcclpiiat"d in England by thu
incident OF General Maurice They
could see no other explanation stree tho
statement attributed TO III" war conn
mttt.e" Of tho British war cabinet Was
promptly repudlated by Lord Reading.
British ambassador here. and later do
clared BY Secretary Baker in formal
statement to be at absolute variance
with the facts as known here.
Report Disoreditod
Lord Readings statement said he was
confident no such announcement had
bccn isaucd with tn" Knowledge NJ
Premier Lloyd George. that tho views
OF ;he British government witch lie
was transmitting were exactly opp":te.
Secretary BAKER said American ire ops
were non being "Srd in battle Ani
would continue to he used as the Hu-
prem. cummaudcr. General F'och, decnI-
cd best
Inquiry at the various bureaus ~ :hr
war department; showed that the eI-
rcditcu movement. of mon - Franc" Is
proceeding as planned after the ar
ununc~mcnt that American units would
be hriga,led with French and British
divisions t"r immediate operations as
we'll as training.
Received With Distaste.
In view ot thes" developments. IL was
felt that An explanation must com"
from the British capital. II IS known
that some question as to tn" way in
which American aid ia TO be employed
had BEEN raiSel In London. som" Gtfi-
Gals there feeling mat I'll" use ot AM
erican troops should be restricted A.
this time In favor IF American sup
plies while rthc"s dw"ll upon the ur
gent need Of man power as TIE first
consideration.
Since The decision 70 scatter Amer!-
can battaItrn. ~ regiments in nI!I"d
forces was mace only because Of the
CRY for man power from hnrh thr Fri.
sll and French governments when The
German onslaught was hulicring Ih-
lines IN Fl9rders and Picard%, officials
here wore inclined To find Tho ton" Of
the war cabinet. dis'astcful. Tho whole
American program in France has been
subject 70 revision by reason "r that
decision. the eject Of which was % So:
as!da national pride and the ambitions
OF Arcricun officers of high rnnk in
order 70 Furnish inmedIai" aid. SUCH
sarr!fi, rs are no; Ia b" viewed lightly.
i, Is held. or 10 b" accepted rr reject j
or elsewhere.
Politics Back CT It.
Just how this Report mas r"latc 'G
the recent political crisis in F:nc'aud.
American officers do no. ull"rtuk- /"
say. They have q struna feeling That
English politics Is behind the mystery.
however. and 10 * TO the Eritish E1v-
eminent TO CORRECT promptly any ms
apprehension thsr" may he about lhs
need for American aid.
There are some other questions agl-
ta.lng officials here which the Otinv',
report served 20 bring I" light. For one
thing American army Officers Ter Tic
most part are convinced that the Amer
lean army Will never reach is hi-l."s;
efficiency under ci;h"r thu. french or
british army systems. Tn" relations
between tho officers and men in each
army ars things peculiar to each aGru%.
They cannot b" transp"sed from one 10
the other
Training by Americans.
In the opinion OF many officers hnr"
the time Is fast approaching whru Am
erican officers from the other side
should be- relied upon f"r tn" :raiutnS
nf the American army. rather thnn vet
Grams OF trench warfar" fr"in tho
French and British services. Mcn W"
are most insislcnt on this point at view
believe trench warfare has produced
nothing as yet which jus.Ific% n" ahan-
donment of all ether theories of mill
tary operations for nigh specialization
IN trench actions.
II America IS tn contribut" largely IT,
the ultimate defeat of tn" German army
they hold. she must Cnnrrihut" S"r"
thing more than man power; she must
cont tribute, to the working out az II now
theory OF operations which will hrsnS
victory ga trench wurfar" has not dom.
For that reason they f""l II w"ul'l II" =
mistake 10 LIS" IN" dash and im,'ia:'v"
&c the American army in nvcr-'rainIrs
FOR trench fighting.