The Colorado statesman., 1919-07-12

the time that the armistice was signeu'
The entire situation as regards the
German army was thoroughly unuer-
stood by high commanding Americans
and 1t was very mentally dense
doughboy who did not know for hiin-
self just how things stood with the
foe that was confronting him From
Metz to Belgium.
1t Is true that the Germans rlanng-
ed to keep their battle line intact; that
Is, they had troops confronting every
unit of the allied forces, but they had
no reserves worthy of the name anu
while their supply Of ammunition was
sufficient for some weeks fighting the
end of the supply was in sight.
All these things were known to the
American commanders. The intelll-
gence service of the armies of the al
lies was of the best. Information was
obtained from captured prisoners, from
raids on German trenches, from air
plaine observation and by other means.
The Germans had a railroad line
and a high road running from Metz
in Lorraine, which was one or their
great military strengths, to the army
lines back of Verdun.
Nothing Left But Retreat.
The Americans cut Off the st. MI
hiel salient and drove the Germans
back north of Hatton- Chatel. where
the enemy established a new line.
North of the Argonne the enemy was
driven back to Sedan, which fell some
days prior to November IL.
The railroads and highways from
Metz to the west were under Ameri-
can artillery fire. In a few days at
the most the German armies from
north of Sedan to Metz could have
been supplied only in a roundabout
way, a way so difficult that 1t virtu-
ally was impossible to. use 1t 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 a precipitate re-
treat of the Germans into their own
territory. There was no other way
out of it.
The German army of November IL
last was licked out Of Its boots. Its
commanding officers knew it. They
saw the inevitable facing them and
hastily they took advantage of the op-
portunIty to enter into an armistice.
Army of 100000 Urged.
Military men say that 100000 regu-
lar troops will be necessary. to main
tain Americas part of its obligations
under the League of Nations. General
Peyton G. March. chief of staff, mas
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 a
force of 100000 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
force of regulars must be maintained
after the present war is thing OF
the past and the League of Nations
is In existence.
This is mere statement Of the
things that have been presented by
military chieftains and by the secre-
tary of war to the house and to the
senate committee which has been TAX
Ing under consideration the matter of
appropriations for the army as It is
to continue until peace is an actually.
In the hearings which have been held
the future has been gone into as well
as the present, and 1t Is for this reason
that the regular army of the future
has been under discussion.
Wide Variance of Opinion.
There seems to be feeling among
majority members In congress that the
United States regular army safely can
be cut to 125,000 men after peace
definitely is established. Therefore the
country can see at once how wide the
variance is between congress and mill
tary chieftains on the subject of the
force necessary for the country to
maintain under the ordinary conditions
of world affairs. 1t seems that the
chief of staff believes the provisions
of the League of Nations will make It
necessary for us to maintain an army
of half a million, Notwithstanding the
fact that the league In its provisions
aims to make military forces to q con-
siderable extert unnecessary. How
ever, as the chief of staff views It, the
force will be necessary in case the
provisions of the league are violated
and the United States intends to live
up to Its obligations under the cove
nant.
Secretary of Baker in urging that
present appropriations be based on an
army of 100000 men is moved by his
desire to make recreational and edu-
cational work in the army an abiding
feature thereof in order to stimulate
enllstments and to make the army
not only n fighting force but n school