Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-19


mending that 200 graduates of the
School of the Line or the Staff School
be sent over, or If such number could
not at once be spared that selected Of
fcers of the National Guard and Re.
serves be substituted, but the depart
ment only partially complied with the
request.
Italians Wanted Help.
My diary at this time notes the fol-
lowing:
Paris, Tuesday, July II, 1917. Dined
on Friday with Thomas Nelson Page,
our Ambassador TO italy, who praised
italian armies and wants us to send
them troops.
Visited Red Cross Building and Y.
M. G. A. headquarters today with Col
Bradley. Both associations are pro-
crossing in organization and extending
their activities
Sent cable urging manufacture Of
artillery
Have requested that passports to
visit France be refused to ofdcers' fam
lilies"
The suggestion from Ambassador Page
that we send few divisions to aid the
Italians indicated that they were about
to enter the lists and contend with the
other allies for an allotment of Aneri-
can reinforcements. The Ambassador
seemed disappointed to find me strongly
opposed to the use of our troops any,
where except on the Western Front as
componentS of our own Army
The question of artillery procurement
caused me much concern. The almost
negligible amount on hand when we
went to war consisted mostly of field
guns Of the 3-inch type, then largely in
the hands of troops in the Philippine
Islands and elsewhere and unavailable
for issue. Moreover, for caliberS heavier
than the 3-inch type our Ordnance De-
partment had adopted nothing which
was really up-to-date.
U. s. Lacked Artillery.
When George Washington was asked
which arm of the combat service he
would increase If he could have the
choice, he replied that. it would be the
artillery Since his day its ratio to
infantry in all armies has gradually
grown. The most striking change in
our time developed IN the Russo-Japan-
csc War, when the proportionate in
crease, especially by the japanese, be-
came greater than ever before, particu-
larly Of heavy artillery. Our American
observers in Manchuria fully reported
to the War Department its importance,
but it was idle in those days for any
military man to talk of more guns for
our Army, and our Government made
no attempt to keep pace with this ten
dency in modern armies.
On the other hand, Germany quickly
realized the growing significance Of
artillery, and so effectively did she
develop this arm that during the first
years of the World War the Central
Powers had decided superiority over
the Allies.
1t is hardly believable that the Allies
should have failed to appreciate their
face of the significant demonstration in
Belgium in 1914, yet apparently it was
not until there came the prodigious use
Of artillery against the Russians that
they awoke fully to its necessity.
A board of officers, Col. C. C. Will
liams, Maj Fox Conner and Capt. j. B.
Taylor, from my staff, appointed while
on the Baltic TO study artillery needs,
made q preliminary calculation based
upon the immediate organization on a
war footing Of an army of 100000 men.
1t was estimated that we should have
as an initial requirement 1884 guns,
with a possibility of obtaining only 40
of our 3-inch guns in September and 40
IN October from our own foundries and
with no prospect of further deliveries
until June, 1918
The enormous proportion Of both light
and heavy guns used by both sides, the
knowledge Of our deficiency and the
realization of the length of time that
must elapSe before we could manu-
facture and deliver them made it Inn
perative that we seek other sources
than our own to help equip our armies
Got Guns From French.
Following up an intimaton. it was
learned definitely that although not
fully supplied themselves, the French
could increase the output of their fac
tories provided they could get steel from
the United States. AS 1t seemed prob
| able that we should operate in prox-
unity to their armies, we adopted the
| French types for the usual caliberS and
sought their assistance in obtaining the
guns needed at least for the first two
years. We secured an agreement that
our troops, as they came along, would
be provided with French guns and am
munition, including not only the 75s
and 155s, but 37-mm. guns and 5S-mm.
trench mortars as well.
| It was most fortunate that we were
able to get these guns from the French,
Of American manufacture of the types
! used, except twenty-four s-inch NOR
tars and six l4-inch naval guns, were
fired in battle.
Trench guns of the s-inch and 6-inch
mortar types, with ammunition, were
purchased from the British, as they
were considered superior to those used
by the French.
The Red Cross reported excellent
progress at this time, especially in its
first efforts TO assist the French as
agreed upon with Gen. Petain. Its or
ganization by Maj Grayson M. p.
Murphy for war work with our. own
Armies was now about completed. The
establishment Of canteenS and huts at
the ports and other important points
had already begun and the numbers In
creased as fast as needed.
Red Cross C0-operated.
These centers Of service later main
tanned dispensaries and provided beds
and bathing facilities for men travelling
under orders or on leave. when the
necessity arose the Red Cross actively
lco-operated with the Medical Corps in
the field. contributing large quantities
Lot supplies and often additional nurses.