The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1918-04-04

President Wilson's decision 10 Speeu
up the dispatch of men to France IS
the immediate result OF the German
and incidently, the agree
ment of the Allied Governments TO
place General Foch in command of all
the forces in the field The Pres1dent
feels. as do both France and Great
Britain. that the hour has come for
the supreme effort; that Germany,s
military power must be crushed now
before it can rcuperate from the stag
gering losses of the past few days,
and that every available man IN the
United States, France and England
should be put into field at the earliest
possible moment. III
National Guard To Go First:
In line with this decision, the Unit
ed States expects to draw from every
training camp in the country. Inc
National Guard divisions will probably
be moved to embarkation points first,
being somewhat better trained ana
equipped. They will be followed, how
ever, by the National Army as swirl
" as the ships can be assembled.
At the same time fresh leVles u
draft troops will be put into training.
A new unit will be organized in every
National Army CONTINENT as soon
as a trained unit is withdrawn for for
eign service. This will result IN call
ing to the colors in the immediate
future tens Of thousands more u Zen
than was anticipated few weeks ago.
The draft machinery is even now IN
motion to that end, and brigades may
he ORGANIZED in the camps vacated
hv National Guard divisions il the
National Army divisions are not sent
over as rapidly as is hoped Tor.
Allies Must Sacrifice Many.
Another element in the situation
which has been considered by TINS
Government is the fact that Great
Britain has herself suffered severe
losses in men and France will likewise
make great sacrifices once the Wn 1r,
French Army is in operation. me
Gerl IAN losses, it is assumed mere AZ
castlv in excess of those OF the Al
loo 70 date. hut once a counter-offer-
sive is undertaken upon large scale
i and this offensive is inevitable
the Rritish and French armies Will ne
called upon to lose men in great num-
bers. 4 obod
their maximum of man-power IN the
field Neither can provide any greS'
bodies of fresh troops except by weak
ening their productive forces at nome
This means that America must sup
NV the additional men necessary U
hiring about the decisive defeat G.
Germany. And to that end the Pres
ident is mastering all the resources o
the nation. Every vessel that can o
built or purchased or seized VIII
employed in troop movementf hveI
shin now used for supply shipment
which can be converted into 1raiis
mort will be converted:
= viii Call For Efficient Conveys.
Onlv those freighters which cannt
! nossibly be adapted to the transpol
N service will be used for food. nun
" tions and general war materials. II
entire navy will be called upon II
coryovs However urgent the demar
for men in France, this Governme11
will take no undue risks upon Il
seas The transports will be guar
ed no less effectively in the futul
l than thew have been in the past, az
the fact might be remarked once mo-
than that no American soldier aDoa1
an American transport, and conVoye
by American warships, has been los
That there will be some losses IS s
nected, but it is a matter OF graz q ::
cation to every Government o1lci
that scores Of transport fleets ma
/ safely naV1gaCeu CAo ueAAAe~
far without casualty. 49,,
America now has more than
million and a half men under arm
ali of whom are equipped TOT
Evolutionary service and practlcally
- whom have received sufficient ira
mo for field operations. more
these men are even now IN FRA.
. than nine out of every ten peol
have imagined-far more too than
-, German Government has reahz
R,1t while in any ordinary war
American Army now in france "o,
he regarded as great army, IN
|. war it is not large enough 10 ne
ri; :sed. There are literally mlllle
of men facing each other on g,
French battle line and three or II
or five hundred thousand men IN Il.
or less cannot be determlnl ng. ~
Hone To Turn Tide Of Battle.
with million Americans rejntol
y mo The French and the British NJ
aver every one of them fresh from
IA training. every one armed with
most improved weapon IN the Wo
end with every one eager TO siio"
4,1,, What sort of soldier the West
Hemisnhere can produce, it may be
sumed that the whole tide OF the
tie will be turned. This is the ~ 4
- not only of the Government IN VIZ
ington, but Of the Governments
- London and Paris.
y The mighty conflict now in prog
in France fully vindicates the u
ment of the President, expires
months ago, that 1918 would be
crucial year of the war. every
1;oerent nation now realizes that
honr for the final test Of strength
come And they realize, moreo
that the drive which the Ger
have launched is just the begin!
: not the end, Of the battle.
: fight will continue all su inner err, III
the German Army suddenly collar
There will be pauses in the tlga
but they will be merely temper %
The contest will not end until