Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-06-14
Military Achievements Confound
Partisan Critics.

Critics Of the Administration military
achievements during the first year of
Americas participation in the world war
were COMPOUNDED by the staggering array
Of facts and figures laid before the House
by Representative Charles Pope Caldwell,
Of New York.
A member Of the House Committee on
Military Affairs, Mr. Caldwell has made a
careful study Of the situation and indi-
Gated that he spoke with authority in re-
vealing to Congress- and the country what
the United States had done in the way OF
supplying man power to the struggling Al
lied armies on the Western front.
Prefacing his statement with a tribute
TO Secretary Of War Baker as man fully
equal to the great task assigned him BY
the President. Mr.. Caldwell disclosed the
wonderful growth Of the Army in twelve
months and outlined the program of the
future.
America has done her share indeed,
more than her share-for she has done
many times more than any Of our Allies
suspected that she was capable Of doing
and more than the greatest enthusiast in
America hoped she could do, Mr.. Caldwell
asserted. "She has confirmed our friends
and COMPOUNDED our enemies.
"0r, let me put it another way: America
has raised and equipped bigger army in
n shorter time and now holds greater
section of the fighting front. transporting
her forces 5000 miles across an infested
sea. in ten months. than England was
capable OF doing in twelve months across
the English Channel of less than 80 miles
We began with less, went father, and ar
rived with more in shorter time. Yet
their motive.was necessity and ours only
desire
when war was declared in April, 1917
the standing Army of the United States
consisted Of 10000 officers and men,
many of whom were in foreign service,
and the National Guard consisted Of 1884,
900 officers and men, many Of whom were
too old for active service and large part
of them unfit to perform the duty for which
they had volunteered.
Our experts told us il would take two
years to raise an army of a million men
and five years to train the commissioned
personnel. II has now been about one
year since the first legislation was passed
authorizing the increase of our Army for
war purposes. The strength Of our mill
tary forces now is i4S.32S officers and L.
6S9.S94 men. a grand total Of 2,O3s, 222
officers and men.
so we have today an army Of more
than 100000, Of which 100000 have
already been shipped to France and a mill
lion more have had the necessary training
to fit them for foreign service. Our critics
now complain that we have not done more.
yet we have done in one year twice as
much as they thought we could do in two
years. The army is growing so rapidly
and its needs are so urgent that the efforts
heretofore made will be small in compare
son with those Of the next twelve months,
We will probably have between 1000. 900
and 100000 men before the end Of the
next fiscal year.
when Gen. Jofrre made the request for
a small expedtionary force. the critics Of
the administration demanded what they
thought was impossible-that we ship to
France during the first year $4,000 to
100000 men. During the first ten DAYS
Of May we shipped 10000. Within one
year after the first shipment America will
have on army Of a million men in France
with their necessary arms, equipment and
supplies
ut will be the best-fed. the est-clothed,
the best-paid army Of its size that the
world has ever known, speaking the same