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

MnrclR.IS. Mrnnwhi'r. the first army
corps headquarters. Ma j"r Gem Hunter
LIugru commanding. was organized at
Nculcha.rau ON Jan. go. and the plan
to create an independent American sec
tor-on the Lorraine front was taking
shape.
This was the situation when the
GREAT German offensive was launched
on March q. 1918.
Figured on p Divisions.
The war department planned as
early us July. 1917. to send to France
by June Il. 1olS twemy-nne, divisions
of the then strength Of 20.CAn men
each, together with auxiliary s,nh re-
placement troops. making II total of
some Goo. 600 men. While the numbers
fell short Of my Recommendation of
Julv 6, 1917. which contemplated ut
least 1.OOO.OOO men by May. 1913. it
should be horne IN mind that the
main factor in the problem WAS the
amount of shipping to become avail
able for military purposes. in which
mist pc! ill'il!t!t'll
supply the allies with steel, coal and
food.
On Dee. 1917. an estimate of the
situation was cahled to the war depart
mpnt with the following recommends
ton:
"In view of these conditions, II is
of the utmost importance to the allied
cause that we move swiftly. The
minimum. number of troops we Shonld
plan TO have in France by the end of
June is four army corps of twenty-f"ur
divisions. in addition to troops for Scrv-
ice of the rear. This figure is given
as the lowest we should think of and
is placed no higher because the limit
of available transportation would not
seem TO warrant il.
"a study OF transportation tacili-
ties shows sufficient American ton
mage to bring Over9 this number OF
troops. but to do so there must he
reduction in the tonnage allotted to
other than army needs. The use of
shipping for commercial purposes
must he curtailed as much as posi-
bic. The allies are very weak and
we must come to their relief this year.
1918. The year after may he too late.
1t is very doubtful if they can hold
on until 1919 unless we give them
lot Of support this year. 1t is there
fore strongly recommended that
complete REIMBURSEMENT of transporter
ton be male and that the needs OF
the war department as set forth above
be regarded as immediate"
In the latter part of January joint
note No. -, presented by the military
representatives with the supreme war
council. was approved 10y the. council.
This note concluded that France would
he safe during 1918 only under certain
conditions. namely:
"Th;u the strength OF the British
and French troops in France are con-
tinuonSIy kept up to their present
total strength and that they receive
the expected re.enforcements Of not
less than two American divisions per
month";"
The first German offensive Of l91S.
beginning March 81. overran all re-
sistance during the initial period or
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
q the military representatives with
the supreme war council prepared
their joint note No. lS. 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
Mace the allied armies In a serious
situation from the point of view OF ef'
fectives.
1.-THE military representatives are OF
the Opinien TINT IL Is highly desirable
that the American government should
assist the atffrd nrmfes rs SOON ds
possible by permitting In principle the
temporary service Of American units
In allied army corps and divisions.
Such re-enfOrcements must. however,
be obtained from other units than
those American divisions which are
now operating with the French. and
the, units 20 temporarily employed must
svsntaaily be returned to the Amersr
en- ariny. --sss.ss.