davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28
american Man Po,cer
Poured Into the Scale

Last Of all comes the Meuse ear
gonne, from September rs to No.
vember II. In this we engaged
twenty-seven divisions, employed
100000 men; but by this time the
German himself had less than g.
100000 men on the front. and we
mad more divisions coming up, some
Of which were preparing for the
great offensive in Alsace-Lorraine.
between Metz and Strasbourg, which
was to decide everything, if the
German did not quit, as he did
So much for the figures. This is
at least one way the United States
won the war; but there is a sec
end, equally worth noting. When the
war ended ours was the only army
IN Europe which was still fighting
on its first wind. Our own soldiers
were amazed when they first met the
members Of famous British and
French fighting divisions, with ire
mendous achievements to their
credit. They were amazed because
these divisions, these men, we're un-
mistakably tired. Ludendorff COM
plains Of equal WEAKNESS among his
best troops.
BY contrast we put upward Of two
million fresh and unwearied SOL
diers into France for fighting in the
last months of the war. These men
had known nothing Of the disap-
polntments and the strains Of four
years. They had known nothing of
defeats like those which the Ger
mans had suffered at Verdun in
1916 and the French at the Aisne
in 1917. They had been through no
such nerve destroying grind as the
British army faced In the first Somme
and at Passchendaele, nor had they
been through an ordeal like the
British defeat in the moro recent
spring months.
When our army undertook the
Meuse-Argonne operation it was the
only army on either side Of the fir
ing line which would have faced
such a trial. They faced 1t, more
over, under conditions which made
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28
Americas Force
Was Fell In July

Looking TO July, on the contrary,
IL becomes clear what America
meant. On July / the Germans had
lost the advantage Of numbers, and
ny the middle Of the month were
something like 100000 short Of the
Allied totals. In this month not
less than eight American divisions
entered the fighting. five Of them for
inc urst time, while fifteen divisions
.eFs IN line, and fifteen American
olvasacns total not less than 100000
men- OF the eight divisions, three
snssed IN the fighting which stopped
VIC nst German offensive.
navlng the advantage of numbers,
1ocn seized the offensive on July
ID In this successful operation
os eight American divisions
patsds ana TIVE wers used
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28

we lost 10000 killed, wounded and
captured; captured $4,000 prison.
ers and 46S guns. Of Twenty-Five
combat divisions, eight. in the fight
lrg which for none Of them ex-
ceeded six months, suffered a loss
Of more than so per cent. These
were, in order of loss, the Cd, LIST,
Sd, 18th, AID, 26th, 4th and 32d.
and their losses were, respectively.
25.076, 23,345, 1854, 1927.
6,O05, 1888, 1915, 1884. The
It'll, with a casualty list of 1856.
fell just short of this mark. AS
against this loss the I'd took 10000
prisoners and the first $500, while
he s9th, which lost only s,813 in
KILLED and wounded, took 5,061
prisoners. Summarizing, it was the
lighting Of the lst Division at Cam
slgny, the I'd at Belleau and the Sd
1t Chateau Thierry which first con-
WINGED our European allies that our
troops could be used in time to
force the war to a decisive issue
IN 1918. The exploits of these three
divisions in the Marine salient led to
the use Of the first eight American
divisions which were ready in
the counter offensive Of July Is.
and this marked the turning point
OF the war. On the numerical side
the Allies were condemned to los
ing defensive and had suffered three
bad defeats from March to June. In
feriority in numbers was removed
in July by the arrival of Americans,
and by November the Germans were
outnumbered by approximately L.
100000, the exact number of our
combat troops at the moment.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28

was battle three or four times as
costly as St. Mihiel; for Germany
it was a defeat q thousand times
more costly.
Each Nation Has
s'FarOrite Battles"
Again, if one hears in America
more Of Chateau Thierry and Bel
leau Woods than of Very and
Bercy-le-Sec, one hears in Europe
and particularly among English
men, far more of Bellicourt and
the Scheldt Tunnel fighting than Of
all other engagements. The
achievement Of the 9th and the
3Oth in the Hindenburg line suffers
from the fact that it was detail iii
British operation, and American
attention was fixed upon American
troops fighting as an army in
Lorraine. Yet America and Aus
tralia smashed straight through the
redoubtable Hindenburg line and
left it far behind in the closing days
Of September, and in October the
same divisions fought with equal
gallantry on the same sector.
Measured by statistics. the
American expeditionary army took
$4,000 prisoners and lost 1000. Its
killed numbered $4,000, its wounded
$4,000. Its total loss was thus
100000, with very slight deduc-
tons. This loss represents the casu-
alties from May, when the 1st went
into action in the vicinity Of Can
tigny, until November II - six
months Of fighting. Since we were
attacking and the Germans defend
ing prepared positions, we doubtless
suffered greater leases in killed and
wounded, but hardly more than
would be balanced by our excess in
prisoners. In addition, we took
1878 cannon and, so far as I know,
did not lose a single piece. And
when the war stopped we were only
beginning; by the next spring we
should have had more troops in line
than the Germans could possibly
have mustered.
Apart from the engagements Of
separate divisions, the LIST at Can
tigny, the End at Belleau Woods and
the Sd at Chateau Thierry, with
similar operations on the part Of
the 9th and both at the Hinder
burg line, north Of st. Quentin; the
32nd at Juvigny, the 9th and 91st
in Flanders, etc, we fought IN
three battles-that Of the Second
Marine, where we had eight divi-
sions, under French high command;
St. Mihiel, where we engaged nine
divisions and had six reserve, and
the Meuse-Argonne, where we had
twenty-one divisions, six in reserve.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28

it much more difficult than it would
have been for any other army, for
1t was their first really great bat
tie. St. Mihiel had been local
operation, brilliant, but with strictly
limited detectives But the Meuse-
Argonne was something different.
1t has been compared to the Battle
of the Wilderness, but there were no
machine guns at the Wilderness.
''Indinn Wartare''
Suited Ne,o Fighters
1t is necessary to see the country
to appreciate what the task was.
By comparison the rest of the line
west Of the Vosges is fiat, while
nowhere except in the Vosges are
there so many forests, which sup
piled cover for German machine-gun
nests and defence organizations.
Tickets, swamps. rivers, even hills,
sometimes approaching mountains
in height, these were all along our
operative front. From September
26 to November l we struggled on
through line Of defence after line,
systems and support positions. It
was the sort Of pounding which
other armies had taken. in their
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28

/ have never seen a complete
statement from official sources Of
our losses in the Second Marine,
but American officers estimated
them at over 10000, while between
five and six thousand prisoners and
nearly 200 guns were captured.
The I'd Division at Belleau lost just
under 10000 men, killed, wounded
and missing, officers included, and
captured "a German officers and
1854 men.
In the Battle Of St. Mihiel our
casualties were only 1000 and
$1,000 prisoners, and 443 guns were
captured. In the Meuse-Argonne
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28
ne Birthday of the Greatest Battle in Our History
The Housekeeping Struggle
One of the Most Terrific
Contests i'm Worlds
War Annals

with a French Moroccan division
as the spearhead of the thrust.
In other words, until Americans
could arrive in numbers sufficient to
abolish the German numerical su-
periority. the Allies were compelled
to fight defensively, and in this fight
ing they suffered terrible defeats and
their numbers were reduced even
more rapidly than those of the Ger
mans, despite the transfer of British
troops from Great Britain, Salonica
and Palestine to the western front.
But by July America had supplied
the numbers, and the Allies wrested
the offensive from the enemy and
won brilliant victory, which proved
the turning point Of the war.
BY August the German was hope
lessly outnumbered. On September
l he had at least 100000 fewer men
than his opponents, and early in
september we engaged $4,000
American troops in the battle Of St,
Mihiel, and also lent the British
two fine divisions, $4,000 strong,
who went through the Hindenburg
line before the month was over. In
addition we had other divisions in
the line in quiet sectors, releasing
French and British veterans, as Lu-
dendorff connlains.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28
Other Armies We're
Tired by Long Fight

To say that the United States
won the war, then, is accurate. az
Ludendorff conceaes, with great re-
luctance, since he was one of those
responsible for bringing America
INTO the war. But in saving it one
must recognize that it is like saw
ing that in relay race the man Of
the team who actually finished the
race wins it. 1t is idle to believe
that our new troops could have won
IN 1916 or even in 1917 as they did
II 1918. Grinly as the German
fought in the Meuse-Argonne, his
machine was already worn, his men
tired; toward the end things began
to break down in an unexpected
fashion
Our troops were not better men
than those who had defeated the
Germans at the Marine, or fought
the Somme and the Flanders cam
palgns. Nor did Pershing ever
have a chance to prove what his
real stature as military COM
nander might be. What he had to
do he did with shining success
But his command was limited 70
one sector, and even this sector. al
most as large as that of Haig had
ever been, to be sure, was far
smaller than that Of Petain and
even smaller than that of Joffre.
We won the war because we nro-
vlded men, able and willing to fight,
fresh, confident, with mistaken
nerves, when both the Germans and
our Allies we're weary. Had wa
not come, the Allies would probably
have been forced in the end to Weld
since in the first three great trials
they had lost at quite as rapid a
rate as the Germans, and they had
no reserves 70 draw from to restore
the balance, Or enable them to take
the offensive. Our contribution
gave them the men to do this, and
It was decisive contribution.
Our men, soldiers and officers
alike, saw the British and French
officers and men after they had
been under strain for nearly four
years. American impressions Of
European armies, and particularly
OF British and French soldiers, have
heen little colored by these cir
cumstances. But the same thin.
was noted in the armies Of Grant
and Lee in the campaign of 1861.
Moreover, we should not have won
the var, to use the familiar. 10
hardly accurate, phrase, if we had
encountered at the outset the armies
which invaded France in 1914. or
fought at Nerdun in 1916. That
we should have been able in 1920
to face any army, past or present,
IN Europe is probably true, az
least americans may be pardoned
fer believing it, but in 1918 less
was asked of Us and, happily, we did
considerably more than Was asked.
Copyright, 1919. by McCiurcs Newspaper
Syndicate)
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28

achievements can be compared with
those Of Petain, whatever might have
been the case had the war lasted
another two years. AS for the
Meuse-Argonne, great as it was as
battle and as a contribution to
the common cause, it will hardly
rank with the First Marine in his
tory, nor will Pershing's share in it
compare with Joffre's part in the
1914 campaign. Yet Persl1ing I'M
derstood his own army far better
than the French or British could
or did, and his decision to create an
All-American army-an independent
army-was, despite the criticism of
the moment, in my judgment, a
sound and wise decision.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28
Germans Had Gained
Aduan:age BY Drive

In their first attack, moreover,
they destroyed one British army,
severely strained second, and in
the extension Of the fighting to
Flanders put a sewers strain upon
two others.
In the March and April fighting,
therefore, the Germans maintained
their initial advantage, taking more
than 10000 prisoners and compell-
ing the French, by drawing their
reserves to the north, to share in
the exhaustion. This opening bat
tie did not give the Germans the
victory they had expected, because,
while the 9th British army was
destroyed, the Sd held out, checked
the German advance and spoiled
the German plans. Again the
French sent reserves in time TO pin
down the Germans.
In late May the Germans made
the,r second attempt, defeating
tired British and French divisions
On the Chemin des Danes, taking
$1,000 prisoners and arriving at
the Marna Up to this moment the
United States had not played any
considerable role, although three
divisions, the list, Cd and Sd, we're
IN active fighting zones by the first
days Of June. Thus the 1st had re-
taken Castigny and the "a and
Sd contributed to pinning down the
extreme German advance at Belleau
Woods and Chateau Thierry.
Useful as this latter contribution
was, its Importance has been ex-
aggerated by comparison with later
events. 1t was Foch's reinforcement
Of the corner back of scissors which
really limited the extent Of Ger
man advance in the May-June
operation, as Ludendorff admits
IN his comments. The troops strik-
ing at the southwest corner Of
the new salient could hardly have
Come much nearer to Paris-they
were actually pretty we'll exhausted
by the rapidity OF their advance and
had outrun their munitions and sup
plies
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28
By Frank H. Simonds
r. Asst week saw the ami
versary Of the battle of the

r. Asst week saw the ami
versary Of the battle of the
Meuse-Argonne, the great
est battle in American history
and, with the exception Of the first
battle of the Marne and the second
battle Of the Somme, in 1914 and
1918, respectively, the greatest bat,
tie in history, so far as the number
OF men engaged at one time Is con
cerned. In the last few weeks, too,
the return of the last of our
famous fighting divisions and of
General Pershing has served TO re-
call memories Of q year ago 1t
has, accordingly, seemed worth
while now, In the week correspond
ing to that Of our great effort last
year, to recall certain circuln-
stances, made clearer now by the
possession of evidence alike from
German and American official
sources
The assertion by Ludendorff that
America became in June the deci-
sive factor of the war will sur
prise no one familiar in the least
with the statistics Of the combat.
When the Germans attacked in
March. 1918, they had a superior
ity reckoned at some forty divi-
sions. approximately half a million
men They gained this advantage
by reason Of the collapse of Russia
and the consequent elimination of
their eastern front.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28
Pershing's Decision
Endorsed BY Events

May, 1918, when the decision was
made, was a time when 1t was no
longer good judgment to put fresh
American troops with weary Brit
ish and French, except as the i'm
mediate necessity required. That ne
cessity was over by the end of July.
Our troops had been Loyalty turned
over to our allies; they had fought
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28

BY T
y
f yne ndoor
"" e6y taking island and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-28
Allied Victory in 1913 Due Only
To Freshness of American /
Troops, Expert
Thinks

was a battle three or four times as
costly as St. Mihiel; for Germany
it was defeat thousand times
more costly.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-30
HOLY NAME SOCIETY TO
PROMOTE VICTORY PARADE
Plans for Event on October 10
Made at St. ,Paups Church
on Monday Night.

Plans for victory parade on October
10 by the Holy Name Society were dis
cussed by. delegates from twenty-seven
churches at conference in st. Pauls
Church, 18th and v streets. Monday
night.
Neighboring churches cooperating
with the Washington parishes are St.
Mary's of Alexandria. st. Rita's Of Glen
carlyn, Va; st. Jerome's of Hyattsville,
Md, and st. Margaret's Of Seat Pleas
ant. and were represented by full sets
of delegates,
The meeting was opened by the Dis
trict president, NJ. j. Driscoll, who, after
announcing the general scope of affairs,
turned the meeting over to the arch
diocesan president, John Hadley Doyle.
who detailed the idea of the coming
demonstration.
The recommendations of the executive
committee that the parade take place
on the 18th of October, that besides the
Holy Name Society banner of each par
ish the service flag of each church
and individual American flags be car
ried by the marchers. No other en-
blems will be in line.
All soldiers and sailors of the many
churches who have returned from their
enitstments, or those still under orders,
will march III uniform at the head of
their branches, as bodyguard to the
service flag of their church.
A prominent military officer of high
rank, who saw service overseas, will
be grand marshal Of the parade. and
his assistants will be Holy Name officers
who also saw service with the colors
at the front This matter is in charge
OF Maj. c. Eugene Edwards, u. S. A,
marshal of the Holy Name Society.
Short, addresses were made by Mon
signor Mackin of St. PauPs, Rev. Paul
Cunniffe. s. j.. of St. Aloysius; Rev.
Father Cohan Of st. Paul's, Rev. Father
McAllister OF st. Dominic's and Presi-
dent Drfscon of the Washington branch.
The union agreed to attend in a body
the laying of the corner stone OF the
new Italian church. the Holy Rosary, in
August. as a special message win be
read from the Pope clarifying the work
of the Holy Name Society.
It was voted that, the next quarterly
meeting be held at Alexandria, Va. in
st. Mary's Church.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-30
WAR GARDEN MEDALS ARE
ON EXHIBITION HERE.
Museums Of America as Well as
Europe Will Perpetuate Work
of Soil Tillers.

Victory gardeners are invited to see
the medal that marks for posterity
the great work they did in the war.
The National War Garden Commission
OF Washington has had struck of a
number of medals which are replicas
of those for presentation to President
Wilson and the heads of the allied
governments.
The medals are bronze and have
been received by the Pan-American
Union, the National Gallery Of Art. the
Smithsonian Institute, the Corcoran
Gallery of Art, the Congressional Lii
brary and the United States Museum,
where they are being exhibited.
Similar medals have been sent to
the museums of Europe. The COM
mission has likewise sent medals to
museums and historical societies of
the country.
On the diverse Of the medal is the
kneeling figure of a young woman
dressed in loose shirt and overalls
low relief are soldiers marching di-
soldiers are the words United States
Of America" For the reverse is a bas-
ket hamper Allied with various pro-
ducts of war garden. Above the
basket are the words National War
Garden Commission" Under the bas-
ket 1.-The Seeds of Victory Insure the
Fruits Of Peace" with a hoe and
rifle crossed and the dates 1914-1s19.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-30
STRUCK BY Mr.. BAKERS
CAR, BOY RIDES WITH HIM
Robert Bell Taken to Hospital by
Official and Then Home-Two
Other Accidents.

Secretary Of War Newton D. Baker
had as a companion on short auto
mobile ride last night small colored
boy named Robert Bell. Robert, who
is ten years old, and resides at 2726
Olive avenue, was struck by the cabi-
net officers automobile at 2sth and
M streets. and his left leg slightly
bruised. He was driven to George
town University Hospital by the Sec
rotary. given first aid and taken
home.
George C. Graft, sixteen years old,
employed as telephone operator at
Bowling Field and residing at 1886
Wisconsin avenue, was seriously In
jured last night about 11:30 o'clock
as result of the overturning Of an
automobile in front of 4103 Canal
road. He was unconscious when taken
to Georg etown University. Hospital
and it was said this morning that his
condition was still critical.
The young man was In the auto
mobile OF w. T. Rogers, 1910 Macomb
street, with companions, and was re-
turning from canoeing trip on the
upper river. In making a turn near
Foxau road the car turned over, and
Graft was the only member OF the
quartet to receive serious injuries.
Arthur Halfpap. seven years old,
was knocked down by an automobile
in front Of his home at $50 NJ street
northeast yesterday afternoon and
his right foot and arm injured.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-30

Capt. Daniel Webster Prentiss, Medi-
cal Corps, q. S. A., Of this city has re-
turned to his home, 1913 NJ street north
west, from overseas, where he served
for nearly a year in charge Of one Of
the hospital bases in France.
In 1914 DR.. Prerltiss joined the Off
GERS Reserve Corps of the Army. He
was ordered to the officers training
camp at Plattsburg in 1915. He was a
member OF the examining board for
medical reserve officers in this city I'M
til called into active service April 10,
1918. He was ordered to Camp Green
leaf. Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. In July, 1918.
he was transferred to Bellevue Hospi-
tai. New York city, for a special course
in war surgery Next he was ordered
to Camp Dix, N. j.. where he became a
member of the surgical staff at the base
hospital
In September, 1918, he received orders
to proceed to Camp Crane, Allentown.
Pa, but was detained at Camp Dix on
account of the epidemic Of influenza.
Dr. Prentiss sailed on the u. s. s.
Leviathan in October. 1918. On his ar
rival in France he was placed in charge
of the surgical work at Base Hospital
106, Beau Desert Hospital Center, near
Bordeaux He returned to the United
States on June %. and again was or
dered to Camp Dix. He has just been
released from active service and expects
to resume his practice in this city.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-30
DECIDE MARYLAND NAN
NOT ONE WANTED HERE
Detectives Question. at Havre de
Grace Prisoner Held on At
tempted Assault Charge.

Believing the man under arrest for
an attempted assault upon Mrs. Mary
wolfnger at Short Lane. Hartford
county, Nd. possibly was the indi-
vidual who perpetrated assaults In
this city and Maryland the past few
weeks, Inspector Clifford I. Grant,
chief of detectives, sent Detectives
Kelly. Sweeney and Scrivener to the
Havre de Grace Hospital to see the
wounded man.
The detectives questioned the prts-
oner. who proved. to be Charles
Holmes, a resident of Harford county,
and concluded he was not the man
wanted here. Holmes does not an.
swer the description of the assailant
who made several attacks In this city
and vicinity.
Questioned by the detectives, the
apparently dying man, who was shot
by Richard Jewens of Perryman. who
went to the aid of Mrs. Wolhnger~re re-
sponded yes" to every question. his
response to the first question being
an admission that he belonged here.
The detectives soon realized that ne
was not responsible for what he was
saying and left him.
Jewens went to Bel Air, the county
seat. yesterday and furnished bond
for his appearance to answer any
charge that might be preferred
against him. Mrs. Wolfinger identi-
Aed Holmes as her assailant.