Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-06
0f AMERICANS IS
 APPRECIATED
Victory Was Expected in 1919, and Army Program Was for Landing Eighty Divisions in France By June.

Washington, Dec. 5.-The army pro- June 1st, 1919 was embarked upon with complete confidence that Ger many could and would be defeated during 1919 if the project was carriel out, General March, chief of staff, declares in his annual report to se- cretary Baker, made public today, That conviction was based on com prehensive study of the whole war sit uatiOn ordered by General March im- mediately after he assumed his du- ties as the head of the army last March.
 After study of the entire situa- tion," the report says, including as accurate an estimate of the potential strength of our allies on the western front and of the probable German
 strength as was possible, I came to the conclusion that the war might be brought to an end in 1919, provided we were able to land i'll France by
 June 30th, of that year eighty Amer ican divisions of a strength of 3,360,- 900 men.
 "On July 18th, 1918. ] submitted to you a formal memorandum, accom- panied by a suggestion of methods by which the men could be obtained, tha supplies procured, and an analysis of the shipping which must be obtained. in order to accomplish this very large military program. This was accom- panied by an estimate of the cost of the proposed program.
 In, Cft, I 1oI t<, you the adoption as the American program, of eighty divisions in France and eighteen at home by June 30th, 1919, based on a total strength of the American army of 4,850,O0O men. This was approved by you and by the President of the United States and adopted as our formal military pro- gram. To carry this program into ef- feet, required the adoption by con- gross of change in the draft ages so as to include men between the ages of is and 45 years and also created de- ficiency over the enormous appropria- tions already made by congress of some $7,0O0,O0O,000. The presentation of the program to congress. accom- panied by the statement that this in crease in the army, if laws was passed by congress which would make it ef- fective, would lead to success in 1919, produced prompt and favorable con- sideration by that body.
 Up to the signing of the armistice. troops were being transported to France monthly in accordance with that program. The results speak for themselves"
 The remainder of the report is de- voted to a presentation of the steps 1t was found necessary to take to build up an adequate general staff and the announcement that complete plan of reorganization for the army including the staff is being worked out
 1T have directed the divisions of the general staff concerned to study and submit for your consideration a plan for the reorganization of our army, which will take advantage of our experience in this war, which has brought about many changes ill organization of all arms of the service and has developed new arms not known when the war started. The air service, the tank corps, the develop ment of heavy mobile artillery, the proper organization of divisions, corps and armies, all will be set forth in the scheme which vii be submitted to you with the recommendation that it be transmitted for the consideration of congress"
 The modesty and gallantry of the individual American soldiers in France, "is matter of pride to all Americans" General March declared, adding:
 "The chief of staff also commends the work of General Bliss at Versailles which he says, was of the greatest value to the department.
 Appended to the report is terse chronology of the operations of the American army in France, and a day to day sketch of the campaign begin ming on April 18th, 1917. and conclud- ing November, 11th, 1918, when hostil- ities ceased.