The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-05-19

capable Of taking the field at "a hours
notice 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 Of the
allied, neutral and former enemy ma
tons apply to the American army Of
occupation as it is constituted today.
That the efficiency Of the training
system of the American forces in Ger
many, the excellence of their equip
ment and their faultless military bear
ing are generally recognized through
out Europe is shown by the fact that
missions from various countries have
either visited Coblenz during the past
few months or have applied for per-
mission to come to this base and get
frst-hand knowledge of how it is done.
Inspected by Swiss Officers.
A few weeks ago the chief Of staff of
the Swiss army, accompanied by sew
eral officers, spent week in Coblenz
as the guest of General Allen, the
American commander, attended in
spections, visited the barracks, re-
viewed the troops and returned to
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 Netherlands
made similar visit and was equally
favorably impressed and now the Fin
nish government has asked permission
to send commission to Coblenz.
Should circumstances require the
American army on the Rhine to move
against an enemy or to occupy further
territory 10000 infantrymen composed
Of the First and Second brigades you'd
furnish the bulk Of the fighting force.
Their advance would be guarded
against surprises and ambush by 300
cavalry and Is airplanes, which would
10 the scouting before the moving in
fantry. Three trained pilots are avail
able for each plane in case Of airmen
meeting with accidents.
One thousand artillerymen, serving
eight batteries Of field guns, would be
IN hand to supply a barrage should it
'ecome necessary.
coblenz Would Serve as Base.
Three hundred men Of the signal
'orps battalion would look after tele-
phone and telegraph communications,
with the base at Coblenz. The rail-
way engineers battalion, which is re-
ewing constant practical training on
little branch line on the right bank
If the Rhine, which they are operat.
ing, would, with the assistance Of the
motor transports corps, attend to the
service of supplies of the expedition
Try force.
The engineers First battalion would
brow pontoon bridges over such
;treams as were traversed in the ad
ance. Six ambulance companies, as
listed. by a medical corps Of 600, es
ablishing field hospitals, would give
'irst help to the wounded before their
evacuation to the base hospital.
Only one arm used in modern war.
fare is lacking-tanks. As the officer
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 occupation
in Germany numbers just little more
than half the electives of one Ameri-
can division on war footing, it is,
nevertheless, real army in the fullest
sense Of the term.