The spectator., 1919-07-15
Your correspondent was nor

Your correspondent was noFW VI the Argonne forest at the headquar- ters of an American major general at the time that the armstice was signed. The entire situation as regards the German army was thoroughly under stood by high commanding Americans. and it was very mentally dense doughboy who did not know for him. self just how things stood with the foe that was confronting him from Metz to Belgium. s ls23 It is true that the GesrN xdanag- ed to keep their battle line shs<ct; that is, they had troops confronting every unit of the allied forces, but they had no reserves worthy of the name, ana while their supply of ammunition was sufficient for sorie weeks fighting, tho end of the supply was in sight. All these things were known to the American commanders. The intelli- gence service of the armies of the af- lies was of the best. Information was obtained from captured prisoners. from raids on German trenches, from air blaine observation and by other means. The Germans had railroad line and high road running from Metz in Lorraine, which was one of their great military strengths, to the army lines back of Verdun
 Nothing Left But Retreat. The Americans cut off the St. N.Y. hicl salient ana drove the Germans back north of Hatton-C Chatel, where, the enemy established new line. North of the Argonne the enemy was driven back to Sedan, which fell some days prior to November II.
 The railroads and highways from Metz to the west were under Ameri- can artillery fire. In few days at the most the German armies from north of Sedan to Metz could have been supplied only in q roundabout way, a way so difficult that it vfrtu- ally was impossible to use it ade- quately.
 There was nothing left for the Ger man army except retreat. which meant soon the isolation of Metz. the fall of that stronghold, and precipitate re- treat of the Germans into their own territory. There was no other way out of it.
 The German army of November II last was licked out of its boots. It's commanding officers knew 1t. They saw the inevitable facing them ana hastily they took advantage of the op- portunity to enter into an armistice.
 Army of 5oo,ooo Urged. Military men say that 5OOOOO regu- lar troops will be necessary to main tain America's part of it's obligations under the League of Nations. General Peyton c. March. chief of staff. has testified to this effect before the senate committee on military affairs. There is apt to be misunderstand- ing concerning what is said before the committees, of congress on army mat ters. The administration has asked for appropriations for continuing | force of 50000O in service until peace becomes stable and the League of Ma tions becomes reality, If 1t is to be- come one. In addition to this, the belief of military men is that large i force of regulars must he maintained i after the present war is Il thing of 1 the past and the League of Nations 1 is in existence.
 This is a mere statement of the things that have been presented by military cheftans and by the secre- 1 tary of war to the house and to the senate committee which has been talk ing under consideration the matter of appropriations for the army as 1t Is In the hearings which have been held
 the future has been zone lntesas VI