The sun., 1918-05-14
PERSHING MEN
ARE BEING SENT
TOBATTLE LINE
War Secretary Says Of Ot-
tawa Tale, "Facts Are Ey-
actly Otherwise"
ORIGIN IS MYSTERIOUS
Lord Reading Knows of No
"War Committee Of Cabinet"
and Investigates Story.
ORIGIN IS MYSTERIOUS

LONDON. May 18.-The Associated
Press was officially Informed Tonight
chat the statement sent out from Ottawa
last night attributine 70 the War Com.
,uittee Of the British Cabinet the IN.
nouneemebt that II had beea decided not
to use the American army on the west.
ern front until II became . complete and
powerful force was due to an error.
which has now beea corrected.
Special Despatch TO Tnn SuS.
WAsHINGroS, May l3.-Gen. Per-
shings troops are being and will con-
tinue to be used In the battlenelds OF
France as fast as they can be made
ready for service. and they are not be-
ing held back until the American army
is developed to full strength. as reported
to-day in a statement from London BY
way OF Ottawa.
Both Secretary Of War Baker and the
Earl OF Reading. British Ambassador to
the United States. denied the statement.
Curiously enough no one here seems able
to understand why the statement was
made or just where It came from. II IL
credited As emanating from the war
Committee Of the British Cabinet
Neither Mr.. Baker nor Lord Rsadin1
knows Of any such committee. There Il
something peculiarly mysterious about
the matter. which ~iii b investitatkd
by the British and American Govern.
ments.
Baker's Statement.
Secretary Baker authorized this an.
nouncement to-day:
"The statement made in the morning
papers purporting to come from Ottawa
seems to say that the American forces
in France will not he used actively FOR
the present. but will he conserved until
they constitute a larger and independent
American army
THE facts are exactly otherwise. The
American troops in France are now beine
used actively In battle and In the
trenches While all OF the plans Of the
War Department look TO the development
OF the American army AZ such and the
creation Of distinctively American
army. yet the various elements OF II
now in France are being used in such
way as are deemed most effective in ac-
cordance with Gen, Pershing's action In
placing all our forces at the disposal OF
the British and French commanders and
the supreme commander"
Lord Reading said:
1.-THE statement attributed to the Brit
ish War Cabinet to the effect that the
Allies are ~ confident that having been
given the choice Of small immediate
American army for defence or waiting
til they are reinforced by q complete
powerfu'. self-supporting American army
they have chosen the latter. II dianetr,-
cally opposed to all information re-
ceived by me from the Rritisl, War
Cabinet and TO all the requests which
have been asked by them to make 10 the
United States Administration.
Doubts sanction by Premier.
81 am quite in the dark as to the ori
gin OF that statement. At present all
can say is that | am convinced that tht
knowledge Of the Prime Minister or the
British War Cabinet
In view Of these statements interes
Is at once centred on the origin OF thu
announcement.
The fact that there Is. 30 far as Off
cials here know. no War Committee Of
the british cabinet naturally hal
aroused some misgiyinss about the state
ment and has greatly puzzled official.
here and at the British Embassy.
But aside from this the announcement
does not sound like An authoritativ,
statement from the British Government
It Is explained. even assuming the posi-
bility OF change Of plan whereby 1T
basic facts were correct.
It fairly gushes In over optimistic pre-
dictions quite at variance with every
thing which has come from the British
War Ofrice. 1t speaks Of German re
sorves being exhausted. OF Germany ant
her allies "on the verge Of quarrelling,
and describes the present stage or thu
fighting as a Anal failure OF Germany
offensive.
Premier Lloyd George specifically hal
warned against over optimism. Moth
ing In more dangerous. he indicated
than to avoid facing facts and to bcliev'
the task over too soon.
May ne Political strategy.
Tho statement from the War Commit
tee" via Ottawa therefore looms up I,
officials here as something which hai
rot had the sanction OF the British Prime
Minister At once the question arises a!
to who was responsible for II, why 1
was made at this time, how It passed thu
censor
There can only be surmisc by respon
sible officials here In attempting to an
swer these questions. There are severa
possibilities which were discussed to
day.
One Is that the statement In some wa!
may be linked with the political Quarre
in Great Britain precipitated by th'
charges OF Major-Gen. Maurice Of thu
British Army. who was retired after at
tempting to overthrow the Lloyd George
Ministry, II is believed possible thai
some official or army officer gave thu
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