Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1921-04-25
EUROPE Calls
Rhine FORCE
AMODEL ARMY
American Expeditionary
Command Excites Won
der of Military Critics
nr TIE .Associated Press

N re ASSOslated I'reSSl
COBLENZ, April 25-A complete
outfit, miniature army equipped
with all necessary services, capable
or taking the field at "a hours no.
tice without the assistance Of any
outside elements and one of the best
military units ever organized in the
worlds history of armies-such is
the description that military men,
allied, neutral and former enemies
apply to the American Army of DC
cupation as it is constituted today
That the efficiency of the training
system of the American forces in
Germany, the excellence of their E.
quipment and their faultless military
bearing are generally recognized
throughout Europe is shown by the
fact that missions from various coun
tries have either visited Coblenz dur
ing the past few months or have
applied for permission to come to
this base and get first hand know
ledge of how it is done
A few weeks ago the Chief of Staff
of the Swiss army, accompanied by
several officers, spent week in Cob
lenz as the guest Of General Allen,
the American commander, attended
inspections, visited the barracks, re-
viewed the troups and returned u
Berne to tell the officers Of the Swiss
army that the American army on the
Rhine was ''the most up-to-date. the
best equipped and the best looking
military outfit of all the armies of the
world"
A commission from the Neither
lands made a similar visit and was
equally favorably impressed and now
the Finnish government has asked
permission to send a commission tc
Coblenz.
Should circumstances require ths
American Army on the Rtine 70
move against an enemy or to occupy
further territory. 10000 infantrymen
composed of the First and Second
brigades would furnish the bulk OF
the fighting force.
Their advance would be guarded a
gainst surprises and dfambush by SOC
cavalry and Is yairplanes, which
would do the scouting gefore the
moving infantry. Three trained pi
lots are available for each plane ir
case of airmen meeting with acci
dents.
One thousand artillery men, serv
ing eight batteries Of field guns
would be on hand to supply barrage
should it become necessary.
Three hundred men of the Signal
Corps battalion would look after tele
phone and telegraph communications
with the base at CoblenZ. The Rail
way Engineers battalion, which i re-
ceiving constant practical training
on a little branch line on the right
bank of the Rhine which they are
operating would, with the assistance
of the Motor Transports corps. al
tend to the service of supplies of the
expeditionary force.
The Engineers First battalion
would throw pontoon bridges over
such streams as were traversed in
the advance. Six ambulance COM
panies. assisted by Medical corps
of 500. establishing field hospitals,
would give first help TO the wounded
before their evacuation to the base
hospital.
Only one arm used in modern war
fare is lacking-tanks. As one Of
ficer remarked facetiously: I'VE have
no tanks of any sort in this army.
There is a machine-gun section
with every company instead Of one
to every battalion as formerly.
Thus while the Army of Occupa
ton in Germany numbers Just Z
little more than half the effectlves
of one American division on war
footing. it is. nevertheless, a reai
army in the fullest sense Of the term.