Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-05

tegral American force which should be
able to take tho offensive in every re-
spect. Accordingly. the development of a
self-reliant infantry by thorough drill
In the use of the rife and in the tao
tics OF open warfare was always upper
most The plan of training after ar
rival in France allowed a division one
month for acclimatizatjon and instruc-
ton In small units from battalions down.
second month in quiet trench sectors
by battalion, and a third month after II
camefout of the trenches when It should
be trained as a complete division In
war of movement.
Very early a system of schools was
outlined and started. which should have
the advantage of instruction by officers
direct from the front. At the great
school center at Langres. one of the
first to be organized. was the staff
school, where the principles Of general
staff work, as laid down In our own
organizations, were taught to carefully
selected officers Men in the ranks, who
had shown qualities of leadership, were
sent to the school OF candidates for
commissions. a school of the line
taught young officers the principles of
leadership, tactics. and the use Of the
different weapons. In the artillery
school at Saumur, young officers were
taught the fundamental principles Of
modern artillery; while at Issoudun an
immense plant was built for training
cadets in aviation. These and other
schools, with their well-considered
curriculums for training in every
branch OF our organization. were CO.
ordnated in a manner best to develop
an efficient army out of willing and In
dustrious young men, many OF whom had
not before known even the rudiments Of
military technique. Both Marshal Haig
and General Petain placed officers and
men at our disposal for instructional
purposes. and We are deeply indebted
for the opportunities given to profit by
their veteran experience.
ITO build up such system there were
talented men In the regular army. but
more experts were necessary than the
army could furnish. Thanks to the
patriotic spirit Of our people at home,
there came from civil life men trained
for every sort of work involved, In
building and managing the organiza-
ton necessary TO handle and transport
such an army and keep it supplied.
With such assistance the construction
and general development of our plans
have kept pace with the growth Of the
forces. and the Service Of Supply Ia
now able to discharge from ships and
move $4,000 tons daily. besides trans
porting troops and material In the con-
duct of active operations
on the strength OF the American army
In France General Pershlng says:
There are in. Europe altogether, IN
cluding a regiment and some sanitary
units with the Italian army and the or
at Murmansk. also includ-
Ing those en- route from the States, ap-
2,053,347 men, less our
losses. OF this total there are in France
1,538.169 combatant troops Forty d. |
visions have arrived. Of which the in |
fantry personnel OF ten have been used !
as requirements. leaving thirty divisions |
now in France organized into three |
armies of three corps each.
THE losses OF the Americans up to
November IS are: Killed and wounded, |
unclassifed. 2204; wounded, 179,6g5 |
prisoners. 2163 missing. 1850. We have |
captured about $4,000 prisoners and 1900 !
guns. howitzers and trench rlortars."
Early Deficiencies Overcome
Referring to equipment. General re-
ching says that entrance into the war !
found the army with few Of the auxil- |
ar,es necessary for It's conduct. He ,
mentions among the most important 6efl-
,ienc!es artillery, aviation and tanks. He
he French Government. His report on
this situation says:
Our entry into the war found us with
'ew OF the auXiliaries necessary for its
conduct in the modern sense. Among
'ur most important deficiencies in ma
erial were artillery. aviation. and tanks.
n order to meet our requirements as
'apidly az possible. we accepted the
'ffer OF the French Government to pro-
Tide US with the necessary artillery
'quipment Of seventy -fives. ono fifty-fve
nillimeter howitzer, and one flfty-five
P F guns from their own factories
or thirty divisions The wisdom Of this
curse is fully demonstrated by the fact
hat. although we soon began the manu-
acture of these classes Of guns at home,
here were no guns Of the caiibers men
ioned manufactured in America on our
ront at the Date the armistics was
igned. The only guns of these types
'roduced at home thus far received IN
france are 100 geventy-fve millimetcr
-uns.
IN aviation we were in the same stu