The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-07-09

The experiences of the United
States In rushing troops overseas has
made 1t evident that estimates given
by the war department In 1915 that
Germany, IL not interfered with, could
land 367 900 men In America In 16
days and 100000 men In 81 days more
were gross exaggerations. Gen. Peyton
G. March, chief Of staff, said. The
war department estimate was submit
ted by the war college to congress In
the year mentioned.
Our Own Record.
son May 1, 1917" said General
March, "the army owned a troop feet
Of ten vessels, with an estimated dead
weight tonnage of 52,725 and a troop
capacity of 1O,S3O men. All these
were boats which 1t would have been
possible In an extreme case to put into
transatlantic service, but Of that
group of old vessels only one, the Blu
ford. vas permanently put into this
service.
Between April 6 and September 1.
1917, the first six months, the dead
weight tonnage of the United States
army increased from nothing to $4,000
lightweight tons. The troops carried
eastward on these ships ran by
months: April, none May. 1893, Gear
ried on commercial liners) June, H.
621, Carried on commercial liners) ;
July. 5.437; August. 5,45S; September,
1888. Total troops carried, $4,000.
beginning with November IL, 1918,
the date of the armistice, and running
through the six months up to and In
Guiding April, we had carried west
ward 717,486 men.
'The 100000 total lightweight of
army ships on November IL included
the Leviathan and other German ships
taken ove during the war. The rapid
Increase In the troop fieet since that
time Is due almost entirely to the
making over of cargo ships into troop
carrying ships. Up to April / cargo
ships of $4,000 tons had been con-
verted into troop-carrying ships. These
ships formed So per cent of the troop
fleet In tonnage. although not In car
ryfng capacity.
Quite impossible.
"About the war department state
ment In 1915, a pamphlet having the
title. Statement of a Proper Military
Policy for the United States This
statement contained an estimate of
the number Of troops which could be
landed on our shores, provided there
we're no interference. Germany had
the most; the estimate as to her was
B87, 600 men In 10 days, and an addi-
tional 100000 In another 81 days. 1t
was stated that these men could carry
with them 10000 horses and all the
necessary equipment, munitions, sup
plies. and other impedimenta for
three months. In about the same
space Of time II was estimated that
France could land 100000 men. Aus
tria. 10000. and japan, 23S,OO0. all
with large numbers Of animals and
the necessary impedimenta for three
months.
sour experience in this war shows
that these alleged facts are quite Inn
possible. We have learned that you
cannot mobilize ships, men and sup
plies with the ease and speed calcu-
lated In the statement. Ship perform.
ances cannot approach the perform.
ances assumed. Our fast troopships
have averaged close to 35 days for q
complete turn around to France and
back, u cargo ships 70 days. The
statement assumes that all ships, In.
Guiding cargo. would average 30 days
Tor that distance,
"This statement shows how lackins
we were In knowledge of the problem
Of shipping large armies overseas
There was no experience Of our owl
or Of foreign countries to guide us
The transportation overseas Of tn,
American army as an achievement Il
literally unprecedented"