The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-04-26
ALL men
POSSIBLE" PLEA
OF THE FRENCH
M. DEBILITY Lauds U. S. for
Pressing Demand for Unit
ed Command.


look forward to the future with abso-
Lutte confidence. not~ithstanding the
enormous difficulties of the moment
and provided every one understands
his duty toward our common cause,
which Is that Of the liberty of the
world. And your duty, Americans, IS
to make haste"
This message was brought to the
United States by M. Debility, deputy
French high commissioner, who has
just returned from France. M. DeBil-
ly sailed on April IL. three weeks AZ
ter the great German drive was start.
ed on the Amiens front, and before
the enemy struck the British lines In
Flanders.
NJ. Debility said the allies and the
United States must not lose a week or
even day In the work Of preparation.
Several times he emphasized the need
of getting American troops across the
Atlantic as quickly a. possible, but
made 1t clear that the allies are salts.
fed Americ is doing everything pos
sible in this direction.
lauds u. s. Soldiers
He said that for the moment snip
building In this country is the greatest
help we can give the allies. adding that
this fact cannot be too strongly i'm.
pressed upon the shipyard workers,
whom he urged to do as much work as
possible.
Some people here were inclined to
believe that after such a long war and
after so many losses the French army
was entirely exhausted" M. DeBilly
said. "and many were incredulous
when the high commissioner, on his
return from France last January. said
&~v1 hA
French army had never been In a more
has proved to the whole world. and
ed the opinion was. What the French
army has been doing on the whole
front and what they are still doing,
has made US Justly more proud than
ever Of being French.
II want to tell you what high opin.
ion all the French officers who have
seen your boys in the trenches have
expressed OF the American men and
soldiers. heard this unanimous
praise from the commanders Of our
armies as we'll as from the officers Of
lower rank. neighbors Of your bat
talions on the battleline, and am very
happy to bring you this message from
France.
Pressed Unity Of Command.
II want to express my deep appre-
citation Of the two great steps taken by
the United States In this climax Of tho
war. Your people have always been In
favor OF unity Of command. clearly
understanding that the weakness Of
coalition like ours lay precisely in tho
absence Of unity. Whenever under
the pressure of circumstances 1t be-
came apparent to all that our lack Of
coordination was the only cause Of
what came near being serious set
back the representatives OF the United
States did more than any one else to
help overcome all difficulties and to
realize a strong coordination in the
hands Of man in whom all the armies
have confidence.
And next to the great service to
our cause was the action Of Gen.
Pershing when he came to Gen. Foch
and put all his troops at his disposal.
eager only that the Americans should
play their part in the greatest battle
Of the war This went to the heart VI
!, every Frenchman.
mo doubt your highly spirited and
well trained men have already given
and will more and more give a prec.
ious help to the allied armies on the
western front
Send All Men Possible.
THE French and British armies are
in splendid condition. Your troops are
doing very we'll But all together we
are numerically inferior to our enemy,
who hits hard. The situation is seri-
Gus. We are fighting together Ger
man militarism.
Send at once as many men as YOU
can: build as many ships as your ship
yards can turn out. and we will, all
together, win the war"