Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-08
America Is 1918 Asset
to Support Allies

Continued from Page One
henceforth to learn from the commu-
niuues that the American share In the
battles of the future is becoming in
crea singly important.
The Supreme War Council and
Clemenceau, with all the facts before
them. expect this growth of American
aid to give us the support required to
enable US first to defeat the enemy's
offensive and then to attack successfully
In our turn. But II is clear that Il is
our plain duty to make every possible
effort both to tide over the interval
until America can take greater share
and to shorten the war by gaining the
necessary superiority of force on the
western front at the earliest possible
moment ..fa."'
1t is therefore disappointing to learn
that the voluntary contribution which
Ireland Is asked to make Is to be
limited to $4,000 men by next October.
! Clemenceau tells us that the French and
British effectives are becoming exhaust
! ed like those of the Germans. The vital
| question is, Whose electives are declin-
ing most quickly? We know that the
German 1919 class Of boys under twenty
| is in the ranks. and that the French
| have not yet put in their corresponding
| class.
| The Prime Minister has told us that
the Germans have called up for train
| ing their 1920 class Of boys under nine
! teen, and he estimates this at $4,000 !:
and we also know that our boys of
eighteen and half are fighting in
France.
On the other hand. we have not made
the same call upon our older classes as
Germany or France. and the combing
out of the intermediate classes Is still
in progress. On April the Prime Min
lister. summed up the position as being
that the Allies at the present moment
have the same reserves Of man-power
to re-enforce their armies as Germany
has. without taking into account these
great reserves in America.
Unfortunately. the measures to in
crease our military man-power. an
nounced by the Prime Minister on that
date. can hardly all become effective.
owing to the time required for combng
out and for training during the present
campaign. The position appears to be
that we have again let the enemy get
drafts trained for the field before our
own were ready and he could draw upon
the Russian front, while we had no cor
responding reservoir to which to turn.
Hence our present anxieties.
The authoritative recognition by the
Supreme War Council Of the advantage
which the German Government possesses
In its strategic position and superior
railway communications should settle
once for all the barred controversy
which has been waged throughout the
war between easterner and westerner
The plain fact Is that long sea com.
munications exposed to submarine at.
tack. and charged not only with the
maintenance Of armies. but to an in.
creasing extent with the maintenance
of the national life, cannot compete will
, shorter railway COMMUNICATIONS whicf
are beyond our reach except by occa
sional air raid. This announcement
must mean that there can be no longe,
any question Of external commitment,
beyond such as are necessary for thu
protection of vital imperial interests.
I Much to Learn From Germans
Clemenceau's declaration that W.
: shall have victory II the public author
tiles rise to the height of the situation
is not the least pregnant of those con
tained in these two statements. w
; are dealing with an enemy Government
scientifically organized for war. Ar
: we yet scientifically organized for war
: We have been through troublous times
, and cur machinery of government ha
been put to the test. Has 1t stood tn
}. test and are we profiting by the har'
! lessons we have been taught?
r We have much to learn from the Ger
3 man methods on the batt.eflelds. bu
: we have as much TO learn from tn
: German methods in council. method
{: based on principles which have beel
Z tried in war and not found wanting. an
t are as applicable to the conduct of wa
!. by a free people as by Prussian junker
e dom We must be certain that the les
: sons will be learned and applied as muc
o IN the one field as in the other.