Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-01-08

~ tne lowest We sh0tild think Of AND
ID placed no higher because the lin,it
Of available transportation would not
seem to warrant i6.
"A study ef transportation faciii.
ties shows sinicIent American ton.
mage to bring over this number OF
troops. but TO do so there must he q
reduction In the tonnage allotted to
other than army needs. The use Of
shipping for commercial purposes
must be curtailed as much as posi-.
BILE. 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 II they can holc
on until 1919 unless we give them q
lot Of support this year. 1, is there
fore strongly recommended that 9
complete REIMBURSEMENT Of transImria.
ton be made and that the needs OF
the war department as set forth above
be regarded as imme,iiate."
In the latter part Of January Joint
note No. ". 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 nre con.
tinuously kept up to their present
total strength and that they receive
the expected re-enforcenenis of NOT
less than two American divisions per
month"
The first German offensive Of 1918.
beginning March 81, overran all re-
slstance during the initial period ct
the attack. The offensive made such
tnroads 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. Tn 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 IT, and
continued:
1.-THE battle which is developing nj
the present moment In France. and
which can extend TO the other thea
tiers Of operations. may very quickly
place the allied armies In a serious
situation from the point of view of eff.
fectives.
a MT q Rnv NWNc M ,SNtt ,ny ,%
the opinion that 1t is highly desirable
that the American government should
assist the allied armies as soon as
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 80 temporarily employed must
eventually be returned to the Ameri-
can army.
"The military Representatives are of
the opinion that from the present time
In execution of the foregoing. and un.
til otherwise directed by the supreme
war council. only American infantry
and machine gun units. organized as
that government may decide tie
brought to France. and that all agree
ments or conventions hitherto made In
conflict with this decision he 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 tht
recommendation Of the military rep
resentatives with regard to the pref
erential transportation of American
Infantry and. machine gun units IL
the present emergency is approved
Such units, when transported. will b.
under the direction Of the command
er in chief Of the American expeii
tionary forces. and will he assIgne,
for training and use by him In his dis
cretion. He will use these aud al
other military forces OF the Unite,
States under his command In sucI
manner as to render the greatest mill
tary assistance, keeping tn mind al
ways the determination of this gov
eminent to have It's varied mllItar,
forces collected as speedily as thei
training and the. military situation pei
mits. into an independent American
army. acting in concert with tn
armies of Great Britain and France
and all arrangements made by hir
for their temporary training an
service will be made with that end 1
view."
British Losses Heavy.
The battle line In the vicinity {
Amiens had hardly stabilized whel
on April 8. the Germnns made anofI
er successful attack against the Bri
ish lines on front of some 40 kill
meters in the vicinity of Armenliert
and along the Lys river AS u resu
of Its being inclnded In a salient fOrr
ed by the German advance Passche
daele ridge. the capture of which ha
cost SO dearly in 1917. was evacuate
by the British Oh April II.
The losses had been heavy and II
entirely. They were. therefore. ma
Ing extraordinary efforts TO ncrea!
the shipping available for our troop