The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-05-30
War Colleges 1915 Estimate Of
Foe Exaggerated. Ii
COULDN'T LAND 50 QUICKLY
getting $4,000 Men Over in IS Days
anpossibIe, as Shown by Our Own
Experiment, Declares Gen. Peyton c.
March, Chief of Staff-Shows How
lacking We. Were in knowledge Of
Shipping Large Armies.


States in rushing troops overseas has
made it evident that estimates given
by the war department in 1915 that
Germany, if not interfered with, could
land $4,000 men in America in 16
days and 100000 men in 81 days more
we're gross exaggerations, Gen. Peyton
G. March. chief of staff, said. The
way department estimate was submit
&ea by the war college to congress in
she year mentioned. s@'zs@.s s~
Our Own Record.
'On May i, 1917" said General
March, "the army owned d troop fleet
Of ten vessels, with an estimated dead
weight tonnage Of 52,725 and a. troop
capacity of 1O,s3O men. All these
we're boats which it would have been
possible in an extreme case to put into
transatlantic service, but of that
group Of old vessels only one, the Bu-
ford. was permanently put into this
service. ~ =, .-tssra,f..E - =.
Between April 6 and September 1,
sA7, the first six months, the dead
weight tonnage Of the United States
army increased from nothing to 10000
1ead-weight tons. The troops carried
eastward on these ships ran BY
months: April, none; May, 1893, Gear
RED on commercial liners); June, 49,
81, Carried ON commercial liners):
July. 5,437; August, 5,458; September,
sA,S13. Total,troops carried, $1,000.
beginning with November IL, 1913.
the date of the armistice, and running
through the six months up to and In
Guiding April, we had carried west
ward 7t7,4S6 men.
~rhe 100000 total lightweight Of
army ships on November II included
she Leviathan and other German Ships
taken, over during the war. The rapid
Increase in the troop feet since that
tine is, due almost entirely to the
making over Of cargo ships into troop
carrying ships. Up to: April 1 cargo
Ships Of $4,000 tons had been con-
yefted Into troop-carrying ships. These
shiFs, formea per cent OF the troop
beet in, tonnage although not in car
lying capacitys ,.. 5ts j ,l,lss'.,..5 ..G;::'
r.. Quite impossihss.t - =
sAbout the war department state
anent in 1916 a .pamphlet having the
sstst., Statement. of a Proper Military
Policy for the United States This
statement contained an estimate o.
nc number Of; traaps. which could be
satsietl' on our shores, provided there
we're no, interference. Germany had
The most the estimate as to, her was
ysT.O00 men In, 10 days, and, an addi-
sf0nal 4400Q0 iIl4an0ther 81 days It
&as stated that these men could GRITTY
With. them 10000 horses and ALI the
accessory equipment, munitions, SUPP
alies, and other impedimenta, for
annec months. In about the, same
space of time It was estimated. that;
france could land 100000 men. Ans.
ssia. 10000, and Japan, 2a8.OOO, all,
with large Numbers Of, aninlals and
che necessary impcdimenta., for three
spopths ~, 5f&&s,rfE
rs.pBr experience in this war shows.
dat these alleged facts are quite Inn
possible. We have learned. that you
sanaot mobilize ships, men and sup,
ssses with the ease. and speed calcur
sased in the statement. Ship perform,
aaces cannot approach the perform
esees assumed. Our fast, .troopships
aave averaged close to 50 days, for a
sssSnplete, turn around to- France and
Aaek, our cargo ships 10, days. The
statement assumes. that all ships, in
s&ading cargo. would average 30 days
snr that distance.
~This statement. shows how lacking
We were In knowledge of the problem
II shipping. large armies overseas.
there was no, experience of our own
NJ Of foreign countries to guide us.
The transportation overseas OF the
american. army as an achievement is
literally. unprecedented"