Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-08-21
PERSISTENT
OPPOSITION TO
MAXIMUM ARMY
Republican L e a d e T S
and Press NJ a n y
Months Ago Advo-
Gated Present Mill
tary Program - A
Clear Cut Party Con-
trast

Washington, p. C. August 10
.-he sold,eyly words Of General
$Harch chef Of staff. speaking for
E,be War Department, sound strange
h. like an echo Of Republican doc
trine long since uttered
In his testimony before the senate
committee on military affairs Gea-
erai March SAD on August ~
THE policy or the war department is
tto n,,t the ma imum number OF men IN
F-ance with the idea OF shortening tne
war The President has ilnaiiy
Eannounced that the American military
policy from this time on IS cth'sfen Oh
fthe western front and we nave decined
10 be diverted from that one thing.
&The nurnose of America IS to furnish
enough man power 10 whip the Ger
mans from now on The only way that
Germany can be whipped is by America
going into this thing with her whole
strength. - II is up to us to win
the war, How long il VIII take will de-
pend exactly upon what We do. II we
drag along with this thing and put
small force over there, zee Will be pay
ing Germany's game. 1t is my beiie
that with an American army OF 4.0ou,U!
in France, under one COMMUNICATIVE
chief we can go through the German
lines wherever We please
Compare this with the utterances
made many months ago by the two
former Republican presidents and by
the Republican natlpaai chairman,
which were endorsed by scores of
Repub lean leaders ard Republican
newspapers.
Republican Leaders
On March !. 1918, pr,sidInt w. Il.
Taft exploded The then Democratic
theory that the greatest number Of
fighting men tho United states
would have IN t'rarce at any time
curing her participation III the war.
would be 800 600" by writing i'll the
philadelphia Public Ledger.
This estimate and point Of view
argues failure to appreciate the
real duty Of the United States in this
war 0.r ollies do not expect
US 70 carry on n Joint debate with
the German and Austrian chancel-
Tors We should raise an
army n not less than five million
men The quicker we act in
this view the Speedier and more GER
tam our victory. The draft act must
DC amended to carry out such prepa-
rations
Addressing the Maine Republican
Htate convention on Alalcn IS, COL
onei Roosevelt showed how The Dem
oeratlc party had drltred in its war
program declaring that nothing eX-
espt force would vim tue war and
flat an army of five million should
pc raised with all possihl" speed TO
FURNISH this Force
roth before and after IL asa 6-tes
March, Chairman HAYS of the Re
publican National Commit; &c. III
many public addresses. urged the
passage OF III constructive meas
pres necessai to put through inn
'heoiately win the yer now" pro-
tr-am
Effect Of German Drive
Inc German drive ~; the Western
,'ont during the late spring ard ear
:, summer was apparently needed by
ue Democratic Congress to make
Imperative new law for larger
"'ai' which the appeals of Mr. Roos-
sNei'' Mr. Taft and other Republican
eaoefs' together with many Repub-
,i'dh newspapers, had previously
failed to do.
!, 0n March 25, before the peril OF
uie ofiFe vas readily apparent, Cen
"a. Leonard Wood. just returned
ou' france, testifying before the
ls'e committee on military affairs.
sa'o mat France and Great Britain
s, ue greatly disappointed at the
Nv ness OF Americas war prepara-
.oAs' ana gave it as his opinion tina.
ra.aa'e steps should be taken to
,':, se an army of not less than five
mon men. His reward for utter
s ms military trr.h, which now is
"e,ccersally recognized. vas 70 be
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