Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-09
TROOPS RUSHED
ON ADVICE OF
FRENCH LEADER

4 hENCH LEAOEN
CONTINUED From Page one0
in advance of his army, the general who
was to command American troops in
France, the President said at once, that
1t could be arranged" said Joffre in sub
stance.
"Then the President asked me-" con
| tinued Joffre, what my judgment was
as to the type of military leader who
should go over ahead of the main body
| Of American troops, and whether he
should not be chosen rather because of
his fitness to train troops for actual
warfare than because of his mastery of
military strategy"
The marshals answer to the President
was that in order to meet the situation
fully the general chosen to send over
first should combine the qualities of
| capable trainer of soldiers and a genius
for strategy 1t was the marshaPs urgent
advice to this effect which led TO the
| decision to recall General Pershing from
| the Mexican border, and to send him to
France. Events justified the decision.
General Pershing measured up to the
standard Joffre had set
''sEND MEN,
WE'LL ARM THEM"
! When the president and the secretary
of war had fallen in with the desire OF
Joffre for the earliest possible dispatch
| the Americas troops to France, the OBJ
4 ject was heard that it was useless to
send troops until we were in a position
to munitlon them amply.
Every munition plant in the United
! States had been running at full speed
/ civ Far
France, Great Britain and Russia. 1t
was manifestly impossible that they
could Immediately supply with artillery
and shells the additional millions Of
men America was to put in the field.
Ne wfactories would have to be built,
and in an incredibly short space Of time
this was done.
Meanwhile" said Joffre, 1--WE can
equip your soldiers from the large sup
( plies we have" He was wise enough,
since we were now allies, to propose
that pooling of supplies which in the
end made the exercise of the united
strength of the allies so much more
effective.
For months our troops had to depend
upon the French for Shells" critics Of
the war administration have said.
It is an absurd criticism at a time
when the niles were depending upon us
for troops and we were turning out
vast quantities Of munitions.
EACH GAVE
WHAT 1T HAD.
All Of US gave them what we lad most
Of to give, and what we could give most
| promptly and usefully. That was the
understanding reached in those Washing
| ton conferences. America began giving
men at once, and France gave shells.
] But America was making shells for
! France. and had been for two years:
and she began at once making shells ana
/ every other needed muniton for her
/ self
our allies had no criticism to offer
/ for inability to continue to provide them
with all they had been taking in NUM-
/ tons and at tho same time to provide
! everything necessary for a new army OF
100000 men.
JoGre heard people say. ships will
/ win the war" or Coal viii win the
war" or Food win win the war" He
recognized the Importance Of all the
necessary angencies But he was too
good a soldier TO believe that anything
could win tfe war except fighting men.
| And he was wise enough, too. TO
know what it took long time 10 teach
some military and civilian leaders, to
( wit; that sending troops first would in
sure sending food to keep them alive and
/ guns and ammunition to fight with. He
/ knew Americans, who had sent their
boys to France with only a few weeks
/ supplies. would make or find a way to
get to them everything they might need
Of which their allies did not have a
I surplus in the field.
RUSH MEN
TO THE FRONT.
Our War Department rushed making
ready to send soldiers abroad, rushed
training Of men here, and took TO heart
JofIro's repeated suggestion that as quick
as possible the American flag floating
over American soldiers should be seen at
the front. The Secretary Of War and
his assistants lost no time in hurry
ing troops to the front after General
Pershlng had arrived, and was making
wise disposition Of them as rapidly as
they could be transported
/ l think Marshal Jonre had the Wis
lon then to see and hear what an old
French woman told about when our sol
/ diers actually did reach France and did
/ all the things which Joffre fsresaw they
would do. II was shortly after the
America9 soldiers were on the move, but
before they had got fully into action.
II had been ordered from my home%
she said. for the third time during the
war. The Germans were coming and we
must take our little belongings and hur-
| nv toward Paris. All along the road
were men and women and chlldren--a
pathetic sight-some with poor old
horses and many carrying their little
household necessities in packs. Hope
less and desperate they were plodding
along out Of the track Of the invaders.
Suddenly we heard a rumbling in the
distance like thunder. 1t came nearer
and nearer. louder and louder was the
sound. 1t was a hundred, yes, monsieur
II was a thousand. Obi it seemed like
million trucks moving toward us.
AMERICAN CLASSIC
! HEARD IN FRANCE.
CLEAR the track Get out or the way
came the command in tongue strange
| to most Of us We huddled together on
the side Of the road to escape the trucks
as they wheeled by They were filled
with handsome, rudy checked, stalwart
lads, with the glory OF youth upon them.
| And as these robust boys in khaki rode
| along they were singing a song. You
| could hear their loud and CHEEKY and
heartening voices all down tire valley.
Oh. monsieur, 1t was so beautiful, 1t was
so inspiring. l would not fully under
stand it, but 1t gave me confidence and
courage. It must have been an Ameri-
can classic. l understand English so
poorly, monsieur; but it sounded some
thing like this:
Hail, hail the gangs all here,
What the hell do we care
| 'rWbat those words mean / do not