The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-04-02
President of United States Alone Can
Issue Orders to American Troops

Washington. April 2.-American
troops on the Rhine are subject only
to the orders Of the president o;
the United States as cot..mander I,
chief of the army, President Wilso,
wrote congress in response to a reso.
luton of inquiry adopted by tn.
house yesterday.
The American troops and the ter
ritory they control, still are governed
by the terms OF the ar7nistice. the
president said. He disclosed that the
American government had d!sapproved
plans to have the troops and the ter
ritory placed under the orders of tho
Rhineland high commission.
Marshal Ferdinand Foch has no
authority over the American troops.
the president said. Major General A.
len. commanding the forces, has full
authority" Mr.. Wilson added. eta
utilize his troops for the police Of tn.
occul'ied district the preservation of
order ana to repel any attack which
may be made upon him"
The president said the American
forces in Germany on March 26 werc
reported 20 comprise 796 officers ana
1886 enlisted men"
"The American forces in Germany"
the president wrote, "are at present
| operating under the terms of the orig,
inal armistice and the subsequent
convention prolongng the armistice.
Ihe instructions proposed to be issuai
to the commanding general, American
forces in Germany at the time of
their occupying the Cobenz area
were submitted to the War Depart.
ment by General Pershng and con
tain the following statement of pol.
Icy:
"The american forces will. however.
! undertake no action beyond the oc.
cupied regions, nor beyond that in
strict accordance with the terms OF
the treaty, Any use Of the American
forces beyond that mentioned above
must be specifically authorized in each
case by the government of the Unit.
ed States.
in reply, it was directed that q,
should be stated in the ordrs issud
to the commanding general, Ameri.
can forces in Germany that the
! functions of the American forces in
! Germany at present is to enforce the
| conditions Of the arrnistlce. and that
when peace treaty shall have been
ratified by the United States. the
! function Of the American forces will
be outlined
Upon the ratification of the treaty
of peace by the allied powers, an In
terallled Rhlneland high commission
was organized in the manner set forth
In message from the president of
the United States to the senate, con.
tanning the agreement between the
allied and associated powers and Ger
many with regard to the military oc.
cupation Of the territories OF tho
Rhine. This commission having been
organized and having formulated or
dnanccs for the zone Of occupation,
the question arose as to whether these
ordinances should govern in the Am.
crican sector, and the representatives.
OF the state department and the com
Inandng general OF the American
forces in Germany were instructed
as follows:
This government cannot admit
jurisdiction OF that commission over
portions OF Rhenish provinces occu.
pied by the American forces. Consc
quently neither your representative OF
the state department nor General Al
len should issue any ordinances which
conflict with or exceed the terms Of
the armistice, which the Department
Of State regards as continuing in
! force as TO the United States. You
! should, however. maintain the closes,
touch with the high commission ana
endeavor insofar as possible to con.
form administrative regime within
territory occupied by American forces
to regime by high commission for
othds' portions of occupied territories
adopted.
There is no objection to your sitting
informally with high commission pro.
vided you are requested to do so.
nor of continuing your activities, "a
well as those Of your staff, in connec-
tion with special committees to han
die distribution of coal, etc, ordin.
ances, orders, regulations, etc. relat.
ing to fir, ncial and economic matters,
including those similar to one adopt.
ed by high commission, which Il is dc.
sired to put into force in territory
occupied by American forces should
be issued by General Allen as com
manding general of American forces
in Germany but only after having
first been approved by you. In general
endeavor to cooperate fully with high
commission and avoid all friction
with that body, while at the same
time make It perfectly clear that
you are still operating under the
armistlce, as before Jan. 10, and are
in no way bound by the terms OF the
Rhlneland agreement or the memor'
andum Of June 49, 1919. defining the
relations between the military author
tiles and the high commission
Replying specifically to the re-
naming question in the resolutions OF
the house of representatives. / will
state that Field Marshal Ferdinand
Foch has no authority over the Unitei
States troops in German territory nor
a.., ,n,,ona d,root thaIr octiyitioc with.