Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-31

Already substantial part of it is in
camp and has begun its preparatory
work. Meantime, the Is National
Army environments are substantially
completed and the first contingentS of
emily without confusion or excitement.
Early in october the entire number will
be assembled and the arrangements
lhomise speedy training for them, as
their officers have already been as
sembled at the cantonments, a course
of instruction prepared and the usual
preliminary preparations for active
work either begun or well under way.
ON this side We hear rather fire.
quently of the work your men are doing.
Such French officers as have come to
us and have seen your troops in France
are enthusiastic in praise Of their alert
ness and spirit, and as the larger forces
begin to arrive, no doubt even more i'm
pressive exhibitions will be given of
what our people can do.
Il am especially concerned that our
troops should not be engaged in actual
fighting in France until they are in such
numbers and have made such thorough
preparation that their first appearance
will be encouraging both to their own
morale and to the spirit of our people
here. / think it goes without saying
that the Germans will make a special
effort to strike swiftly and strongly
against any part of the line which we
undertake to defend, in order to he, able
to report to their people encouragingly
about our participation and also with
the object of diScouraging our soldiers
and our people as much as possible
have no doubt this has all been pres
ent to your mind and refer to it only
hoPoIco Y1f IN IyY0yu that S1ye viii
exercise all the patience necessary on
this side and will not ask you to put
your troops into action until, In your
judgment, both the time is opportune
and the preparations thoroughly ade-
Quate.
I'm the matter Of selecting corps and
division commanders, I constantly feel
that ought to have your advice and
judgment. You realize, of course, the
difnculty Of selecting division command
ers out Of our Army, made up as it is
Of very Jealous and fine men, but nee
esSarily men who have had no expert
ence with the sort of warfare now being
waged, and few, if any, of them hav-
ing even had the experience of actually
commanding division of troops in ma
neuvers. From all that you have said,
supplemented by all that have learned
elsewhere, the need for young and
physically strong men is apparent and
am perfectly willing to go any limit
in meeting this requirement.
1T will, of course, necessitate. passing
over q substantial number of our older
generals, who are very eager to go to
France. and who in their own ideas, and
that of the country, have certain right
to be preferred; but their occupation
here in the training of troops Is, of
course, valuable contribution to the
cause. and, whenever / can feel sure in
the selection Of the younger man that
he actually has the capacity to develop
to sufhcient extent to justify his be-
perience, shall not hesitate. But most
Of these younger officers present prob
lens of Judgment and forecast, and
your advice on the subject would be most
helpful.
Eat present am planning to send
practically all of the general officers to
France for a visit to the front, so that
they will come back to their training
camps with actual knowledge of the
conditions of present methods of war
fare. After they have been to France,
they are to cali on me individually to
report, and hope in that way to have
opportunity to make personal estimate
Of their vigor and alertness both Of mind
and body. In the meantime, you, OF
course, will see them all while they are
in France, and / would be grateful II
you would let me have an estimate OF
the Impressions they make on you while
they are actually at the scene of war
and studying the conditions at the front.
Baker Proposes Gen. March.
There Is another subject upon which
want to say a confidential word Gen.
Scott will retire on the 22nd Of this
month. He will, of course, be called
back into active service and put in
charge of one Of our training camps
where his fine character and soldierly
experience will be an inspiring example
to the young men under him. Gen.
Bliss, who has three times acted as
chief Of staff. will succeed Gen. Scott
for the few months which intervene
until his own retirement. But when
Gen. Bliss retireS In November (Decem-
beD, it will be necessary to select a
chief Of staff, and my strong desire is
to have young man who has had some
months of experience in France.
MY mind has rather run In the di-
rection Of Gen. March, who, by the mid
die of November, viii have had an ex-