Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-10
100000 GOAL IS
. SET BY 4 NJ { R IC 4
FOR ARMY IN 1918
Secretary Bakers Statement
Showing Over 100000 in
France Has Heatening Eff
feet British Are CheeIed

WASHINGTON, May 9.-The Ameri-
can army in France will be well on the
way 90 the 100000 mark by the end of
the year.
This forecast has added weight to-
day from Secretary OF War Bakers Of
fetal revelation that we have now
passed the 100000 mark over there"
His disclosure heartened the war cap
ital today as nothing else has done, for
1t recorded in concrete fashion a rec
ord of accomplishment ia the face On
many discouraging delays. The figure
represented a generous proportion of
fighting men, supplementing the behind
the-lines workers who necessarily form
a foundation of such an Narlny as we
pan
Included in it are regulars. national
guard and national army forces.
And, the addition 10 the half plillion
row there is being accomplished steao-
Dy. A maximum effort IS expected to
be reached this month or next, and to
continue well along into the summer.
While it may not be said just how
fast the troops are moving. II can DE
stated reliably that the pSesent speed is
several times as great as it was in the
ebb period around February.
Reservations Necessary
>
ly discussed in congress today, where
some members had been inclined to
doubt the feasibility of the secretarys
statement before the senate military
committee in January.
How many more than 500, 900 have
been sent abroad may not be disclos-
ed for military reasons, and in making
statement, Secretary Baker specifi-
cally requested that il be carried to
the public in exactly the terms in which
he gave it, Under these circumstances
it permits of no amplification.
Neither is it possible to state how
many troops actually have been trans
ported during the first four months of
the calendar year, 1918, as this would
disclose to the enemy the rate at which
troops are moving.
The British representatives here are
greatly cheered by the way in which
the government, from it's own resources
and with British aid, has been aole to
exceed original promises. This is due
in part to diversions of shipping. for
merly used in non-essentiaI transporta-
ton; in part to faster turn around on
transports through skillful planning by
the army and navy transportation men,
Colonel Hines and Commander Belknap;
and largely because of the system of
brigading Americans with French and
British units.
Brigading Plan Better
Authorities estimate that practically
five times AS many troops could be ham
died with the same amount of shipping
under this brigading plan as could be
accomplished were divisional units kept
intact and supplied from this side with
all necessary material.
The need for more and more Ameri-
cans rapidly was borne anew today with
word that the Boche punch in Flanders
had landed HIM in some first-line posi-
tons in the Ypres sector. He is evil
deEtly on the verge of a new and terri
BILE smash. And. the British admittedly
need more aid hastily in view of the
fact that they have used their forces
almost continuously, eating up many
reserves to hold the Boche at critical
moments.
Some military men here think the
drive now at hand is quite possibly
next to the last great effort. They said
that aside from a possible Italian Of
fensive they doubted that the German
could keep up his major thrusts much
farther though they warned cessation
of such smashes would by no means
mark the end of serious battling.
Whilst the armies are locked in their
bloody struggle there are again signs
that the allies will continue aggressive
and the experts who predicted that raid
are now prophesying that you will see
something more along that line before
long.
Army calls continue to come steadily.
Provost Marshal General Crowder today
sent call to all states except Utah and
Nevada for 5,S13 to serve in the en-
gineer ordnance, signal, veterinary mad
quartermaster corps. Volunteers will be
accepted up until May 20, and the men
will be modified June /.