New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-01
President Urged
To Speed Up War
Preparations Now
We Must Help in Present
Crisis, Says Letter of
Defence Societies

The American Rights League, of which
George Haven Putnam is president, and
the American Defence Society, Richard
N. Hurd, chairman, have joined in an
open letter to the President urging an
immediate speeding up of the war.
at is evident" say the two organ
izations in the letter, copies of which
have been sent to every member Of Con-
gress, that if the service of America is
to count as factor in the decision Of
the war our cooperation must be largely
increased and be given with all prompt
ness"
Crisis at Hand Says Letter
The letter reads:
at seems probable from the reports
that come to us from France and from
Italy that the crisis is at hand of the
great war for civilization. Americans
await with hopefulness. but not without
anxiety, the results Of the great Ger
man attack on the lines in France, lines
in which our American boys are now
doing their part
ut is evident from the recent appeals
from the authorities in England and
France and from the reports brought by
Americans who have recently been in
that if the service of America is to
count as a factor in the decision of the
war our cooperation must be largely in
creased and must be given with all
promptness.
General Wood, who speaks with
direct knowledge and with the author
ity of an experienced student Of mill
tary history and conditions, has told the
Senate Committee on Military Affairs
that if the United States is to do its
part toward the fultilment Of it's obi
cations to its allies and to itself il
should have now in the training camps
not less than five million men, and that
IL should be made practicable to place
two millions Of these in France before
the close of the year. Premier Lloyt
George says:
"It is impossible to cxaggerate the
! Importance Of getting American rein
! forccments across the Atlantic in the
shortest possible space of time
at is understood that similar state
ments have been made to Secretary
Baker by high officials Of both the
French and the British governments.
"Our people probably do not realize
the scale upon which this way of ma
tons Is being conducted.
= Forty Million Men in War
! at is calculated that since the be
ginning of the var nearly forty million
men have been placed under arms, ant
that of these from ten millions tt
/ fifteen millions have been killed OF
/ wounded or reported missing. Thi:
would leave under arms, if the Russian
troops were still in existence as an or
( ganizcd force, from twenty-five to thirty
millions.
Owe understand that within the mex
| lew months America will have been able
TO place in France in all some five hun
drcd thousand men, and that in add
son to these we have now some eight
hundred thousand or nine hundred
! thousand in training
ct is understood that under the pres
cnt plans eight hundred thousand Of the
men in training are to be called to Thu
colors before the close Of tho present
year Such a force can render service
but it is to be feared that this service
win not be sufficient to count.
of the great forces now renewing
! their invasion Of France should succce;
/ in crushing the armies Of France ant
/ England the war would probably be dc
cidcd this summer, and decided in favo1
/ Of Germany Europe would have to &C
! cent the domination Of Prussian mill
tarism. and the turn of America woult
come next.
Pledge Aid to President
"Thc American Defence Society ant
the American Rights League hereb.
pledge to the President and to tn
country their loyal and earnest sup
port Of all efforts toward organizing
on large scale and with all possibi
promptness, the armies that Amcrlc
is to contribute to the contest.
"Thc acceptance by America Of Ger
man domination is unthinkablc, and
compromise peace which would leav
Germany in practical control of Europ
and would be the acknowledgment 9
. defeat is equally unthinkable' N
course remains compatible with tn
safety Of the Republic and with the ful
firncnt of it's obligations but to brin
with all possible promptncss into tram
ing an Overwhelming force OF American
soJdicrs for service ~ France.
an this great task the American ma
ton is prepared to support tn. Pres'