The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1920-01-22

"Thr military representatives are OF
the opinion that from the preSa5t time.
I'm execution of the foregoing. and I'M
fiji otherwise directed Try the supreme
war council. only American infantry
and machine gun units, organized MS
that government may decide. ne
brcuuh, to France. and that all agree
mpnts or conventions hitherto made in
conflict with this ,leciSinn-he modified
uccor,lngly
Plannedaan American Army.
ThH secretary of war, who was In
France at the time: General Bliss. the
American military representative with
the supreme war council. and ! 1T once
conferred on the terms of this note.
with the result that the secretary rec
commended to the president that joint
note 30. Is be approved in the follow
ing sense: =
"Thc purpose of the American gov
eminent is to render the fullest CO.
operation and aid. and therefore the
recommendation of the military rep
resentntivrS with regard to the pref
nrcntinl 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
or i'm chief of the American eXpedi'
tionary forces. and will be assigned
for training and use by him in his dis
erection. 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 tlle'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.
lnp UlIllt lllt III VIZ NItIIIts vi
AmicnS had hardly stabilized when.
on April 9. the Germans made anoth-
err successful attack against the Brit
ish lines on front Of some 40 kilO-
meters it, the vicinity of Armentieres
and along the Lys river. AS result
of its being included in Il salient form
ed by the German advance. Passchen-
dazzle ridge. the capture OF which had
cost so dearly in 1917, was evacuated
hv the British ON April II.
The losses had been heavy and the
British were unable to replace them
entirely They were. therefore. max
iny extranrdnary 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 I conference. The result Of this
London agreement was cahIed to
Washington April "a. as follows:
"'rhat only the infantry. machine
guns. engineers and signal troops of
American divisions and hrigades be
sent over in British and American
shipping during May for training and
service with the British army in
France up to six divisions and that
any shipping in excess of that re-
CURED for these troops he utilized to
transport troops necessary to make
these divisions complete.
''I'hat the American personnel of
the artillery of these divisions and
such corps troops rs may he required
to build up American corps OrganiZa-
tons follow Immediately thereafter
and that American artillery personnel
be trained with French material and
join its proper divisions as soon as
thoroughly trained.
"'rhat it is contemplated American
divisions and corps wlIen 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 training or
train them with American units at his
discretion, with the understanding
that troops already transported by
British shipping or included in the six
divisions mentioned are to be trained
with the British army"
At a 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 ali independent
American army and providing for the
immediate shipment of certain troops:
Under American Flag.
ut Is the opinion Of the supreme
war council that. in order to carry the
war to Successful conclusion, an
American army should be formed a.
early as possible under its own flag.
In order to meet the present emer-
gency 1t is agreed that American