New-York tribune., 1919-03-22
Universal Army
Training g Is Urged
By Gen. O'Rvan
Favors Swiss System of
Obligatory Service; 9th
Helped Deliver "Death
Blow" Says Gen. Maurice

Blow,'' Says Gen. Maurice
Let us hope that in our coming pro.
VISION Tor national defence we NAV
nave some system akin to that of Swift.
zeriahd' Major General John f
o'Ryan declared yesterday, "where the
oDllgatlon to serve is mandatory and
universal and has nothing in common
win the features of a standing army. .
Inc commander of the 9th Division
ana Major General Frederick B. Man
rice, former director of military onor
atalons OF the British General Staff
were the guests of the Bankers Club
at luncheon. The British general
SAID that the British Fourth Army. in
which were the 9th and 3Oth Ameri-
can divisions, won the decisive battle
OF the war at Ypres.
Speaking informally after the lunch
con, General Maurice said:
While New York is befagged for
the welcome home of the 9th Division
should like to say word to New
Workers of what the British army
leels about the American troops who
fought alongside of il. / first saw
Reads I'd Corps, which was composed
oil the 9th and Both Divisions. on
their march up to the line in Flanders.
AT a halt in the march doughty,
weary with the weight of his pack.
flung himself down at my feet and
looked up at me and said, Say, boss,
It's a durn long way to this war of
yours. want to get to it and get
quit of the dirty business
Keen American Spirit
THAT represented the keen spirit of
the American soldiers who came to us
at the time when our men we're stale
after the buffetings which they had re-
celved in the spring.
cone Of our generals who saw Reads
corps very soon after it went into the
line said to me, DO you know, Maurice.
nave just seen some men who liked
the Ypres salient. | don't know
can convey to New Workers.
all that that implies. Our army had
blocked the road to Calais in the Ypres
salient in 1914. They had to abandon
the ridges there to the enemy after the
first dastardly German gas attack that
overwhelmed the French troops on our
left oNA
For three years they held on the
at a..,-
the heights which surrounded them
At the end of 1917. they won back the
ridges at enormous cost, after three
months of fierce struggle, only to have
to abandon them again when the Ger
mans drove in our line further to the
south. viz
by the summer Of 1918, Ypres had
become a name Of ill omen to the
British army, and to find me along
side them to whom Ypres or any other
part of the front was all one. who
were, keen to fight anywhere and ev-
srywhere, had a tremendous moral in
1uence on our troops. 1t changed
Britlsh grit and determination into
British enthusiasm and the British
army will never forget that
Americans In at Finish
when the tide turned, it fell to
he 4th British Army to strike the
lsclsivc blow in the decisive battle
u the world war, and the 9th and 3Oth
llvlslons took great and important
part in that decisive attack upon the
7ast offences Of the Hindenburg line.
"ihe deeds of the 9th Division are
mixed for all time with the deeds of
he 4th British ARM, and upon the
battlefield has been sealed bond of
riendship which | hope and believe it
n the future"
General Organ declared it to be his
'elief that the great military machine
'ullt up by the military caste of Ger
many caused the war
1T may be-" he said, "that financial
nen, seeking for the true causes, are
pit to search in the fields of industry
nd commercial rivalry. But, gentle
nen, every soldier knows in his heart
hat this war was conceived, planned
nd ordered by the standing army of
iermany. The hatreds, fears and am
1tions of German statesmen, bankers,
ducators, farmers and merchants were
argely the results of efficient work of
ne great general staff during the
wenty years preceding the war"
Eulogy of Anne Morgan
General Organ also said he would
Ike every American to visit the war
evastated areas, particularly of |
rance, and there. in view of accumu-
lted sadness and despair realize "that
is only skin deep and mans
humanity to man something more
han phrase"
The commander of the 9th con-
!uded with a culogy of Miss Anne
1organ, saying:
"lf in your visits to the devastated
egion you wish to see French eyes
lash the fire of gratitude and affec-
ION, speak of Miss Morgan"
General O'Ryan was guest of honor
t luncheon at the club with GEN
raj Maurice.
'raiu Rur.iod II, Lanr of RaLs