Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1920-01-23


or available transportation would not
seem TO warrant 1t.
study of transportation facili-
ties shows sufficient American tom
mage 10 bring over this number Of
! troops. In; 10 10 so there must lie n
refnc''"n in The tonnage allotted to
"thcr than army needs. The use of
sh!r'in" Tor coin;ucrciai purposes
thust he rurtailcd as much as posi-
ole. The allies are very &eaE and
we must come TO their relief this year,
f?lS. The year after may be too late.
II is very doubtful II they can hold
on nntl 1919 unless we give them
lot OF support this year. 1t is there
lore strongly recommended that
! complete REIMBURSEMENT Of transyorta.
ton be made and that the needs OF
the war department rs set forth above
DC regarded as immediate"
IN the latter part OF January joint
note No. II. presented by the military
representatives with the supreme war
council. was approved by the council.
This note concluded that France would
be safe during 1918 only under certain
| conditions. namely:
THAT the strength OF the British
and French troops in France are con-
tinuously kept up to their present
total strength and that they receive
the expected reenforcemcnts OF not
! less than two American divisions per
| month";
The first German offensive of 1918.
beginning March 81. overran all re.
sistance during the Initial period of
| the attack. The offensive made such
inroadS upon French and British re-
serves that defeat stared them In the
face unless the new American troops
| should prove more immediately
| available than even the most optimis-
| tic had dared to hope. On March
p the military representatives with
the supreme war council prepared
their joint note No. IS. This note re-
peated the previously quoted state
ment from joint note No. IL. and
continued:
1.-THE battle which IS developing at
the present moment in France, and
which can extend to the other thea
| tiers OF operations. may very quickly
place the allied armies in n serious
situation from the point Of view Of eff.
| fcc:iveS.
The military representatives are Of
the opinion that it is highly desirable
that the American government should
assist the allied armies as soon ds
possible by permitting In principle the
| temporary service of American units
in allied army corps and divisions.
! Such rc-enfOrccncntS must, however,
! he obtained frnm other units than
| those American divisions which are
| now operating with the French. and
the units so temporarily employed must
| eventually be returned to the Amcri-
! can army.
| THE military representatives are Of
the opinion that from the present time.
in execution Of tho foregoing. and IN
til otherwise directed by the supreme
war council, only American Infantry
and machine gun units. organized as
that government may decide. be
brought to France, and that all agree
mcntS 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. IS be approved in the follow
Ing sense:
"The purpose Of the American gov
| eminent Is to render the fullest CO.
operation and aid. and therefore the
recommendation Of the military rep
resentatives with regard to the pref.
erehtlal 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 comma nd
or In chief Of the American expedl.
tionary 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 rs to render The greatest mill
tnry assistance, keeping In miud nj.
ways the determination of this gov
| eminent 10 have Its varied military
forces collected rs speedily as their
, training and the military situation per-
mis. 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 8. the Germans mnlc nnnth.