Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-27
BY MAI. GEN. HENRY G. SHARPE
u. S. A., RETIRED,

Quartermaster General During World War
The following were the efforts made
by the Quartermaster Corps in prepare
ton for the war
The QuartermaSter general conStl-
tuted a board of officers from those or
duty in his office to consider matters af-
fecting the corps. This board gave con-
sideration to our experiences on the
Mexican border in 1916, and also made
q thorough study of the various reports
of the military attaches and others re-
garding the war then being waged In
Europe, and submitted a very thorough
and comprehensive report of the or
CARNATIONS essential for the Quarter
master Corps.
Many of the organizations recon-
mended by the board were not then In
existence, or had ever been heard of
in our army, but everyone of them was
brought into existence before the ter
mination of the war
This report was submitte to the
general staff for approval in Deem
Der, 1916. but although frequent efforts
were made no action was ever obtained
on it. This failure caused great delay
as by the policy adopted by the chief
of staff. the QuartermaSter Corps was
not permitted to recruit or train en-
listed men until such organizations
were requested by Gen. Pershing.
Lack of Authorization.
AS illustrating how this affected mat
tiers, when Gen. PerShing and his staff
were going to France a request was
made by the quartermaSter general to
have the personnel of a motor car COM
pany sent over, among other organiza-
tons and individuals. 1t was returned
disapproved because motor car COM
pany was not authorized by our tables
of organization" and the men to drive
and keep in repair the automobiles for
Gen. Pershing and his staff were sent
over rated as "quartermasters, mlscel-
laneous employees" and the chief quar-
termaster on Gen. Pershings staff was
so informed
Prior to appearing before the House
Committee on Military Affairs in con-
nection with the appropriation bill in
the Fall of 1916, Gen. Scott, then chief
of staff, advised me conf1dentially of
the urgency of endeavoring to get a
quantity of supplies, necessary in case
of an emergency. In the hearings be-
fore the committee this office stated
the necessity for and an effort was
made to obtain some part of 10000, 900
yards of uniform cloth, but unsuccess-
fully.
When it was decided to send troops
10 France, in order to prevent a repeti-
ton of the conditions which existed
during the Spanish War, in Manila and
in China, the quartermaster general re-
peatedly and insiStently urged that, be-
fore any troops were sent overseas, a
sufficient number Of officers and men be
sent over to organize the base depot
and at least commence the organization
for the lines of communication, but the
QuartermaSter general was unsuccessful.
Efforts for Necessary Men.
Repeated efforts also were made to
secure the necessary number of men
for the corps to form the organizations
which it was known would be required
in this country and abroad. A request
was made for As, 900 men under dates
of May 26, June 81 and June % and
the assistant chief of staff, Gen. Bliss,
was informed our Quartermaster Corps
had more activities than the CORE
spending corps IN the British army;
that before the war commenced one
branch of the British army organiza-
ton. the army service corps, had ABS
officers and from 10000 to 10000 men,
but by May, 1917, there were 10000 Of
flcers and 200, 900 or 800, 900 men in the
army service corps alone; and 1t was
thought that we should have at least a
number equal to what one branch of
the British organization had.
These requests were repeatedly re-
fused and resulted in criticism from
France because of the failure to supply
the organizations required. On Novem-
Der 10. 1917, cablegram was received at
the War Department from Gen. Bliss
chief of staff, who was then in France;
paragraph three of that cablegram was
in part as follows:
Ascertain from the Quartermaster
general what Quartermaster Corps
personnel of all kinds has recently left
port of embarkation and what can be
expected to be sent within so days
Transportation problem in France al
the present time is serious"
This was answered under date Of
November 81 and not until that date
were all of the organizations which hac
been requested by the QuartermasteI