Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-09
rHE ROAD TO UNITY.

THE ROAD TO UNITY.
The road to unity is often apt to be anything
but smooth, and at times it seems that instead Of
unity, divergence and disintegration must lie at the
end. A striking illustration of this is given in a
series OF interesting articles by George Patullo now
running in the Saturday Evening Post. Mr.. Pat
tullo has gathered up and woven into a connected
story much of the inside history of the World war
IN so far as it pertained to the negotiations relating
to the disposition of American troops overseas, and
his narration, illustrated by means of quotations
from official documents, gives what. to MANY. will
be an entirely new light on the manner in which inn
portant decisions were reached, and the complica-
tons which stood in the way of reaching decisions
o. any kind. 49,
The outstanding feature in the articles thus far
IS the conflict between General Pershing, on the one
hand, and the French and British authorities on the
other, relating to the part which the American forces
should play in the great struggle. The United States
entered the war at a time when the Allied fortunes
were at a low ebb, and when Allied prospects were
anything but bright. British and. French armies
were weary and worn with nearly three years of
continuous fighting. Their losses had been fright
tut, and the population Of each country was being
drained Of its manhood. 1t was apparent that for
some time it would be impossible for the United
States to play any important independent part in the
fighting. Both French and British desired not only
the stimulus OF fresh accessions of American troops,
but the material advantage of numbers which the
arrival OF these troops would give. The French
author1tles began at once to plan the merging of
American troops with the French forces. The
British made similar plans for the Strengthening Of
their divisions. Pershing knew that it would Be a
long time before he could have a real armv on the
ground, but, while he was willing that American
troops should be- brigaded with foreign divisions for
the time being, he insisted that this should be onlv =
temporary measure, and that ultimately all the
American troops should be assembled into a sonar
ate American army.
There were meetings of the high officials, de-
bates, Engagements, and not a little friction. If the
plan OF Pershing were to be followed it would be
necessary to provide on this side for the orpaniza-
ton, and at sea for the transportation of forces in a
certain order, provision being made as RAPIDLY as
feasible for all the elements which 20 to make I'D a
complete army organization. If the plans sought
oy the British and French were to prevail, an en-
rrely different method must be pursued. Each side
stood stoutly for its own ideal. The result was a
compromise in which the ultimate purpose of Perish
ing was admitted, and in which Persfnnp entered
heartily into the temporary disposition of his arriv-
ing FORCES IN the manner best tended to meet en-
ergencies as. they rose.
The casual reader, whose ideas of war have
been gained from the story books, and who can con-
ceive in the soldier of "our side" nothing but s,-
preme 1dealisnn, will probably be depressed and dis
illusloned by reading these articles. He will find
strong evidences OF what he will interpret as selfish.
ness which seeks personal or national advantage in
utter disregard OF. the rights and sensibilities Of an
ally. He will feel that the British and French were
concerned only with getting their own chestnuts
Pulled out OF the hre, and that they were indifferent
how badly the American paws were burned in the
process: he may, if he can dissociate himself. suf-
|hclenty from the American spirit, feel that Pershinp
was more concerned in commanding a big American
army with flying banners than in doing the thing
most immediately necessary for the winning of the
Perhaps a little more accurate estimate NAV 4.
made It one will start out with the assumption that