The Lamar register., 1919-12-31

Drought 10 france, uHU tnhl HH hgrte-
ments or conventions hitherto made in
conflict with this decision be modified
accordingly"
Planned an American Army.
The secretary of war. who was in
France at the time; General Bliss, the
American military representative with
the supreme war council. and at once
conferred on the terms of this note,
with the result that the secretary rec
commended to the president that joint
note No. 18 be approved in the follow
ing sense:
"The purpose of the American gov
ernment is to render the fullest CO.
operation and aid, and therefore the
recommendation of the military rep
erentIal transportation of American
Infantry and machine gun units In
the present emergency is approved.
Such units. when transported. will be
under the direction of the command
er In chief Of the American expedl-
tlonary forces. and will be assigned
for training and use by him In his dis
cretion. He will use these and all
other military forces OF the United
States under his command In such
manner as to render the greatest mill
tary assistance. keeping in mind al
ways the determination of this gov
eminent to have its varied military
forces collected as speedily as their
training and the military situation per
mits, into an Independent American
army. acting In concert with the
armies OF Great Britain and France,
and all arrangements made by him
for their temporary training and
service will be made with that end In
view"
British Losses Heavy.
The battle line In the vicinity Of
Amiens had hardly stabilized when.
on April o, the Germans made anoth-
er successful attack against the Brit
ish lines on front, OF some 40 kilo-
and along the Lys river. As q result
Of Its being Included In a salient form
ed by the German advance, Passchen-
daele ridge, the capture OF which had
cost so dearly In 1917. was evacuated
by the British on April II.
The losses had been heavy and the
British we're unable to replace them
entirely. They were. therefore. max
ing extraordinary efforts to increase
the shipping available for our troops.
On April 81. went to London to
clear up certain questions concerning
the rate OF shipment and to reach the
further agreement provided for In the
April conference. The result OF this
London agreement was cabled to
April "a. as follows:
That only the infantry. machine
guns. engineers and signal troops OF
American divisions and brigade. be
sent over in British and American
during May for training and
service with the British army II
France up to SIX divisions and that
any shipping in excess of that re-
quired foN these troops be utilized to
transport troops necessary to make
these divisions complete.
That the American personnel Of
the artillery OF these divisions and
such corps troops as may be required
to build up American corps organize
tions follow Immediately thereafter,
and that American artillery personnel
be trained with French material and
Join Its proper divisions as soon as
thoroughly. trained
That II Is contemplated American
divisions and corps when trained and
organized shall be utilized under the
American commander In chief in an
American group.
That the American commander In
chief shall allot American troops to
the French or British for trimming or
train them with American units at his
discretion, with the understanding
that troops already transported by
British shipping or Included In the sir
divisions mentioned are to he trained
with the British army
At meeting OF the supreme war
council held at Abbeville May and
2, an urgent appeal came from both
French and italian representatives for
American requirements or units to
serve with their armies. The follow
Ing agreement was reached, commit
ting the council to an independent
American army and providing for the
Immediate shipment OF certain troops:
Under American Flag.
1T is the opinion of the supreme
war council that. in order to carry the
fn