The Washington times., 1918-08-18
U. S. ARMY HOLDS
BALANCE OF POWER
ny FREp s. FERGusoN.

ny EhEID .. EbNHDBONs
Copyright. 1918 by the United Press)
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
TRANCE, Aug. 1s.-As the world war
enters the nth year. the fghting
forces OF America hold the balance
of power in the, greatest struggle
IN the time Of man.
The lighting men OF America have
been tried on the worlds most his
toric bAttlehelds, and have proven
that for. bravery, for stamina, for all
Of the things that II takes to win
battlss, they need bow to none.
The American in the feld Is man
OF q fighting heart =.
He represents Americas balance OF
power that will carry the democra-
cies Of the world to victory over Ger
man autocracy.
But how this power is adminis-
tered, how 1t is led, how IL is
equipped, how It is fed, how II Is
clothed, how it Is munitioned, now II
IS given "eyesight" By airplanes inst
st shall NOT fight in the dark, how II
e. nursed when I'll and wounded
upon these things depends the dis
tance to victory.
No Pause TIN Victory.
It may be near. or # may be far,
and Americans, Frenchmen, British
ers land Germans) may know that
the American lighting man will not
consider his Job done. until the allied
cause is victorious. But the distance
Is not to be measured by the resist
ance Of the German alone. Incompe-
tenee At home, faulty leadership in
any Of the branches dealing with the
war, u going to mean q longer path.
and . path dyed with American
blood. fE .-f
REPRESENTATIVES, Of Americas bal
ance oE<power are arriving in France
by hundreds hourly. As this Is writ
ten more than 100000 men have
landed. Every man brings the hour
of victory nearer, but the adminis-
tration. the leadership. must be be-
hind him
1 have been with the Americans in
every important action to date, from
the hrst raids In Lorraine to the TAX
ing Of Cantigny in Picardy and the
second battle OF the Aarne. The
men taking part in these actions
were from every corner of the United
States- They ranged from newly en-
listed men to veterans,
But always there was the same
spirit, regardless OF the difficulty Of
the task or the hardships involved:
cheerful obedience Of orders, anxiety
to get at the job and complete It,
and certainty IN execution and then
modest disclaimers of having done
any more than was their duty or
more than any other American would
have done -,,,.--,
rAeir. Days In. TRIMMING.
During the early months Of this
year, the Americans in. France were
merely training. They could not be
figured as real fighting units In. the
intricate game of trench warfare.
First, northwest Of TouI, then on the
Chemin Des DANES, then near Lune-
vile, and lSter, near Ver1un and IN
Alsace, American unitG appeared.
They wen pat IN the Hpe the
French, and soldiers and Dffieers
alike learned from their French in
stTuctors the tactics of the new war
game. 1t was an irksoFne job. Losses
were always unnecessarily heavy at
hrst Then the Americans began to
learn. They learned how to take
cover during shell fire. They learn
ed when 70 keen. qufet--in : other
words when Il was to their advan-
tage not to shoot They became
trained. reliable troops. When the
gigantic German offensive broke in
March some were put permanently
into the line In the Bacarat region
and northwest OF Toul In the place
OF French divisions which were rush.
ed away to the big battle line. 9th
eTs followed the French. and In
Picardy took their place in the line
which they still hold. and which
they extended By the capture of CAN
tigny.
On the Marns a. bright a page as is
70 be seen IN American history was
written by the Americans who stopped
the German advance there. For five
days they fought anceasingly. They
met thS-best divisions the German
high command could throw against
them All were turned back. Munition
carriers, ambulance men, supply men
in fact, every one-worked, or
fought day and night II was the ex-
treme test OF American stamina to
date, and was met gIoriously- The best
traditions OF America were more than
fulfilled. The German rush toward
Paris was stopped. The morale OF the
French was raised to new heights at
the sight, and by the story. of these
Americans on the winding Marne, in
sisting even In the face OF the last
extremity that the German should not
cross.
Changed Course of War.
America paid a price in lives of the
best type OF men she has to offer In
the cause Of democracy in the fighting
On the Marne. But during those five
days when . thin line CT Americans
stood between the German and the
road to Paris, the entire course of
the war for the coming months was
changed The American, despite his
lack Of technical training. had won
for himself a place IN the line Of bat
tie alongside the seasoned troops of
the allies. He had demonstrated that
the fighting instinct OF the American
had only to be stirred TO respond. In
stead Of requiring long periods of
training, he had shown that with the
instruction he had received at home,
when he stepped from the transport 70
French soil, he was ready. 60.
On the Marne the American proved
his worth Is q stout-hearted open-field
fighter, either on defense or offensive.
At CantiGny he displayed his quail
fties as "storm troop"
There was a vast difference between
the lighting at Cantigny and about
Chateau Thierry. On the Marne 1t
was FIRST, resistance against wave