The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-12-05

"Gnly IN the long reaches ~ historical
inquiry. when there will h" time and "p-
portunIty 70 rNamIn" II detail not
merely statistical exhibits which toll IN
numbers OF yner and guns what America
did. but also 10 l1pr.t =" the "ontrthu-
lions Of patriotic Zeal and scrric" which
cam" from field and factory. from civil
ian and soldier alike. and which repre-
SAINT. n their aggregate. the If" OF the
nation concentrated upon q singh pur-
pose"
In h!ss brief recita! ot the events or
:he war. Nr. Baker selects the battle OF
thN Mouse rs from the viewpoint or
military strategy. Americas Srea'ese
contri button 20 'hr successful outcome
&C III" wa" since h. that attack OF
railway. the main artery of the German
supply system was cut. The entire
available strength of the American army
in France. oS divisions. were in line IN
,i." second week "t October. he says.
making yard-hy-yard progress against
desperate enemy resistance. which nm
all:- was worn out. and on November
| tho American troops broke through.
The object of the drir" was tho strote-
eic conception Of which included the
British drive at the northern end OF
tho railway system and the French ad-
vance in the center. was accomplished
on November :. when the Americans
entered the outskirts % Sedan. 70 BE-
joincd there The next day by he
trcnch.
9TH, meeting Of French and American
troops on this historic spot" Mr.. Baker
says Isl Snalized the defeat OF the Ger
man arms. 4 defeat as decisive and ho-
initiating as that forced upon Franco ~
ynars' bnfor.. at tho Same spot. II there
had been questions before IA ~ Tho &C
rcp;ancn OF the arm;sticc terms. the al
led advance. eliminating in this meet
in.; ut Sedan left no choice in the mat
ter
In skctchinS, tho building up Of tho
war army. Mr. Baker selects fow
striking figures as illustrations OF what
each step meant and what has been ac-
corapllshnd. On tho day the armistice
was signed he declares NOR" than Is
per cent Of The entire male population Of
tn country between the ages Of IS and
u was in the military service, tho
army having reached total Of 3,s64.00o
n,rn, more than 10000 Of whom were
in Europe. as compared with n strength
OF 1854 in March 1917. Il week before
war was declared.
To illustrate the speed OF this eXpnn-
sion. Tho report cites III" fact tina; thr
British army in Franc" lad reached its
high mark in / h. summer OF 1917. three
years after tho beginning OF the war.
and that {! cure was slightly more Than
"Gon ono men" Il took nineteen months
Co. tho United States to reach the sarne
strength thern hut Mr.. Baker points
out that during those years of battle
British manpower had hncn heavily
..,l..a upon to r"Nlac" casualties while
FOR many months thr flow Of American
troops all went to augment the force
being assembled. To some extent This
was offset he add. hy III" far greater
transportation difficulties "f the Amer
lean project.
Trcar;ulatirE I'll" totaA American
casualties. cS6.I0S Mon as already an
u"unCod. Mr.. Baker said In" deaths Gao
10 battle alone were $4,000 and that hal,
q: tho wounded reported ''prohahly sur
f"rcd slight injury" TIe adds that
F"dcraI battle fatalities IN ,he Civil
War :"tall"d 10000: japan lost $4,000
men in the Russ"-Japan"se war ana
'..."nI:,rr,' los; %>,0"0 ~ tho lranco-PruS-
sian WAY.
Speaking or tho s"lrctiv" service. Mr.
Baker makes this observation. without
discussing the question OF universal
military trainNE. soon To arise:
at that lam" twh"n his preceding
annual report was ISsu"d) there waS
arrrl. rvid"Hc" thnt thu s"lertivr draft
VAS = swift "ff"ctivn and just means ~
securing the military strength nec"--
Sarv rrr tn" crndn"t or u great wa~
Tho rx7cr."rc" "f She past year has
s:rDncl; reinforced tha; conviction"
p;srueSlr.- the rxtonsivr engineering
undertakings im France. IN" need for
which has ended with n. signing oc m.
arrnistic' Mr.. Eak"r gives this hint as
I" the policy the government, IS rursu-
:cc,
"St"pr haI" h""n taken 10 reduce ~
'"rS and cancel contracts for such it~nre
rs will not !,c needed IN France Tn .tHIr
connection hrw"vcr. car" is being taknn
!" aS"!-" ourselves tina, We arc not d.
privin= Frame. &C material which she so
urgently needs |" r. plarr ihat worn out
during h.r terrific self -d"nials Of tho
"a fru.. THprS. W. cannot refuse to
r"ni.- n! III" assiS'an"" possible in the
r"r"nstru"tion ~ that heroic nation"
Under H." h"adr" Of "Fieh';ug equip
'1.r. for H.. ARM Mr.. i;aksr gives Il
summary az what was accomplished IN
pravIGiu" "rInanc" for the army When
TIT" hrn!:sticc Vas signed c0.SSt com