Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-21
LUDENDORFF LAUDS.
STAND OF PERSH|NG.
German General Says He
Was perfectly Right" in
insisting on Separate Army.
BY AGATHA BULLITT GRABIsCH.

the memoirs of Gen. John J. Pershing
gave me the following considered opin-
ION on the book:
Prom a military standpoint, Gen
Pershing was perfectly right in his in
sistence that American soldiers should
build up separate army. The pro-
poSal to merge American troops in the
English and French Armies is but evil
dence of the mechanical conception Of
the English and French leaders in the
war.
"Of course, American machine guns
could be used by the English and
French, Armies, but it would have been
q grave military error not to have
formed the American soldiers into their
own separate units. The soldier is not
q machine.
Gen. Pershing has here given proof
Of his sound military judgment. Also
his conception in regard to offensive
warfare Is absolutely sound. War can
only be decided by taking the agrees
sive.
Might Have Spared BloOdshed.
ct also fully understand and appre-
ciate Gen. Pershings attitude in regard
TO the necessity of preparedness on
Americas part, and il may be that
bloodshed might have been spared
thereby. Naturally. it would have been
q tremendous handicap for us if Amer
lea had been able to throw strong forces
against us in 1917. That goes without
saying.
Gen. PerShing wanted exactly the
same thing for his country that ]
wanted for mine. Before the war the
military forces of Germany and Aus
tria- Hungary fell far short of what they
might have been. Universal conscrip-
ton in Germany existed only on paper.
France enlisted 81 per cent of her able
bodied men, Germany only 54 So it
happened that France, with a popula-
ton of about 100000 less than Ger
many, had an army approximately as
large SIS ours. Germany. at the out
break of the war, had about 5000, 900
able-bodied men unframed.
II regarded this tremendous neglect
Of man power as a direct provocation
to France and Russia to make an attack
on us. 1t was a stimulus toward war
and untold bloodshed.
CAS- a colonel in the general staff I
EealouSly endeavored to induce Ger
many to use her man power in defense
Of our country. In my opinion it was
the best way to prevent the war that
was threatening. 1 was not successful.
Through this neglect Germany unques-
tionably was responsible for provoking
the enemy to an attack, but this re-
sponsibility is exactly the opposite from
what Gen. PerShing would indicate.
If Germany had wanted war, surely
she would have increased her military
forces in view of the stupendous prep
arations being made by France and
Russia in peace time, and would have
insisted on Austria Hungary doing like
wise.
Says Neutrality Violated.
II would beg Gen. Pershing also
to bear constantly in mind the Euro
pean situation. Germany lies with open
frontiers surrounded by hostile coun-
tries. These hostile countries are strong
military powers which Immediately on
mobilization can invade Germany. Her
geographical position is entirely differ
ent from that of the United States,
which is separated by the ocean from
possible opponents. having as neighborS
only Canada and Mexico
But If Gen. Pershing believes that
America would have preserved neutral
rights by early preparedness he over
looks certain cardinal facts. America
violated her own neutrality by equip
ping our enemy with ammunition and
war material to an enormous extent.
Americas attitude from the very begin
ming OF the war was hostile to us and
favorable to the entente. We knew per-
fectly well she would enter the war as
soon as it became apparent that the
fortunes of war were inclining toward
victory for us. President Wilson ad-
n1lttsd as much in 1919: surely Gen.
Pershing will admit it new.
Moreover. America did not enter the
war IN February 1917, when Germany
declared intensified submarine warfare,
but held of till April when, owing to
ceSses IN submarine warfare, German
victory seemed probable. Toward the
end OF March, 1917, Admiral Jellicoe
characterized the situation forcibly
enough when he said England could not
hold out longer than Autumn.
"Germany's submarine warfare was
an absolute military necessity. It would
have been sheer folly for Germany to
leave unused part Of her defensive
forces, her submarines, faced as she
was with the tremendous numerical
superiority Of her opponents as well as
England's illegal blockade, against
which America never seriously protested
Gen. Pershing is soldier enough to ap-
preciate this
Justifies Belgian Policy.
"As regards the neutrality Of Bel
GUM, should be glad if Gen Pershine
Anglo Belgian convention from the
viewpoint Of soldier and commander
IN 1905 Belgium concluded. with the
knowledge Of France. the Anglo B algian
convention, which allowed the British
Army, under certain circumstances, II
use Belgium as war basis; that is tc
say, provided for situation such as ir
1914 actually existed
We of the general staff were not ir
ClIUhfnCf N oa1e Sc ~,
lation Of her own neutrality ever
though We were not at that time fully
Informed of the d-tails of the Anglo
Belgian convention. The cooperation
Of the English, French and Belgian
STATS had by no means escaped our at.
tention. Hence, Belgiums neutrality
was first VIOLATED by Belgium herself
not by Germany.
Moreover I should like to remind
Gen. Pershing Of the violations of neu.
trality committed by the entente yes
by the United Stats also. towarc
Greece and Holland. Gen. Pershing a,
soldier and commander is bound TO know
that our march into Belgium was &
vital military necessity after tht
entente had Cnce drawn us int
war. We did all in our power to come
TO an understanding with Belgium, bu
she was compelled 10 reject our ever!
enuSa\Or DeCauSe Ene was DDnnQ D.
treaty to England ana France. In othe
words, because she was not neutra
at all
IF Gen. Pershing still places re-
sponsibility for the war on Germany
under the assumption that she wisheC
to acquire world domination, / fear n
has not kept abreast of the times ant
has lent too willing an ear to ant!
German war propaganda. Before givinl
expression to 50 serious charge l thinl
he should at least read the authoritative
literature Of his own country. The his
torian, Prof. Fay, and others have yer.
tJfstIv pOrnp m very different rONcltI