The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-11
Permanent Organization Of the
The Army to Be Determined
After Peace Conference.
STRONG GENERAL STAFF
WILL BE MAINTAINED
Report on Activities Of Ameri-
can Armies in France by Gen.
Pershing is Attached to Sec
retary's Report.

retary's Report.
Washington, Dec. 6.-The question
Of permanent organization of the
army has been defer ed for consider
alton after the close Of the peace con-
ference. Secretary Baker, in his an
nual report made public tonight, says
this course is determined upon since
1.-The military needs Of the United
States cannot be prudently assessed
until that conference shall have ae-
tsrmined the future international re-
,lations of the world"
For temporary purposes, however,
Mr.. Baker announces that he Will lay
before congress plan Of reorgan-
ization for the regular army, which
shall continue IS the nucleus OF any
future military establishment"
The secretary also indicates his IN
tention to press for perpetuation oy
law Of the strong general staff or
sanitation built up during the war
"I have refrained in this report,
Mr.. Baker says, from making specific
recommendation for future leglsla-
ton for two reasons. In the first place
the signing of the armistlce has not
formally closed the war. We have at
present great, military establishment
which can not be Immediately dis
solved, and the activities Of the de-
partment for some time at least must
be concerned with what we have. In
the second place, the peace confer
eHce is about to assemble and the
military needs of the United States
can not be prudently assessed until
that conference shall have deternIn-
ed the future international relations
OF the world. The department will
present to the congress a plan for the
maintenance of a regular army which
shall continue as the nucleus of any
future military establishment, pend
ing the time when the experience
through which we have gone can be
digested and the future needs of the
nation matureiy considered.
-. tsIn any case il is clear that the
education Of officers and constant
study Of the science Of warfare will
be necessary, and it is my hope that
Wv
Point can be supplemented by an en-
Argement and broadening of the spe-
eial schools which are at present or
sRnized but should be made to take
ON more the character Of postgraduate
courses and to develop and train re-
search specialists in the several arms.
This subject, however, is one upon
which casual comment is not helpful
and I refer to it only because 1t
seems the one clear indication from
our experience as to our future poi
ICY
The story Of the American army's
part in the war overseas Secretary Ra-
ker leaves very largely to General
Pershing, whose report covering oper-
ations up to November 20, following
the cessation Of hostilities, is attach
ed to that Of the secretary as is the
report Of Chairman Fosdick Of the
Commission on Training Camp ac-
tivities
can adequate account Of the activi-
ties OF the department for the year
now ending can be written" Mr..
Baker says, .'only in the long reaches
Of historical inquiry when there vii!
be time and opportunity to examine
In detail not merely statistical exhibits
which tell in numbers of men and
guns what America did, but a,so to
apprise the contributions Of patriotic
zeal and service which came from
field and factory, from civilian and
solder alike and which represent IN
their aggregate the life of the nation
concentrated upon single purpose.
In his brief recital Of the events Of
the war, Mr.. Baker selects the battle
Of the Meuse as from the viewpoint
of military strategy, Americas great
est contribution to the successful out
come Of the war since by that at
tack of the American armies the Sc
dan-Mezieres railway, the main artery
Of the German supply system, was
cut. The entire available strength Of
the American army in France, 2S di-
visions, were in line in the second
week Of October, he says, making
yard by yard progress against desper-
ate enemy resistance which finally
was worn out and on November /,
the American troops broke through.
The object of the drive the strategic
conception Of which included the
British drive at the northern end Of
the railway system and the French
advance in the center, was accom-
plished or, November when the
Americans entered the outskirts Of
Sedan to be joined there the next day
by the French.
.eThe meeting of French and
American troops on this historic
spot" Mr. Baker says. "signalized the
defeat Of the German arms, defeat
as decisive and humiliating as that
forced upon France At years before at
the same spot # there had been
questions before as to the acceptance
of the armistice terms. the allied ad-
vance eliminating in this meeting at
Sedan left no choice in the matter
EIGHT HOUR DAY.