Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-28
Is a Military Victory
Possible in West?


SOutlnutu tT0" EhEe One
had learned to know each other. The
troops were faced with conditions
which were often very different from
normal trench warfare, and too much
was asked of the staff. who were
blamed for not doing the impossible.
The precise cause of the failure was
lack or practice in working together.
but most of the critics of the staff did
know this. The staff was said TO
be The preserver of the old army, II
was narrow-minded. inefficient, made
no use of the brains of the country in
the new armies, and grabbed the lions
share Of promotion and honor. All this
talk which was usually very Hin.
formed, led to a want of confidence and
friction. both of which was fostered
by agitation In certain quarters at
home against the staff and officers Of
the old army. Most of the critics had
but vague ideas as to what the staff
Is and what its duties are. The gen.
erals in command of fighting stats
and administrative STATS were all
Jumped together and condemned.
Many new army officers, being men of
business experience. chared at the mill
tary routine and red tape which they
ascribed to the narrow minds of the
oiu army, DSiiS unaware ina the aI-
ministration system of the army has
in the main been imposed upon it by
the civil administration and that most
professional soldiers have spent their
lives in trying to reduce it to a form
which could be made applicable to
war.
III the staff desired to defend it's or.
ganiztng and business capacity it has
only to point to the superb achieve.
ment by which the army has been kepy
supplied at the right time and at the
right place with every requisite. de.
spite the loss Of vitality important rail.
way communications, and the almost
insuperable difficulties involved in re.
sorting the greater part of the admin.
tstrative organization when our front
was driven up. l shall have a word
to say abont this later.
Spirit of Army Changed
The whole lone and spirit of the
army has now changed from the
days when WEAKNESS and disappoint.
ment gave rise to criticism and re-
elimination. Our front has been left
in peace for three invaluable months.
during which enormous strides have
been made in he work OF reconstruct
ton. Wonderful to relate of the Brit.
Ism Soldlef, during the whole of my
visit I heard no ~grousing except re.
garding leave, n that is rapidly be-
ing put right. Everywhere along our
front the old sense OF superiority over
the enemy has been r~e-established.
Our men are CHEEKY and confident;
the Germans are rvo and de-
pressed.
The advent of the American has
allowed US to keep troops out of the
line for training INC the army has
again found itself. 1t is not by any
ear only by the numerical re-en
forcement which America has brought
into the field that she has helped to
turn the scale.
1t would be impossible to overrate
the value Of the infusion of fresh and
vigorous life into the Allied ranks in
the fifth year of war, when there is
a natural tendency for those who
Rave borne the heat and burden OF
the day to become stale. The Amer
leans emanate keenness and vitality
which is infectious. while their fresh
outlook upon questions which to us
have become stale by long use and
their racy fashion of expressing their
views are most inspiring.