The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-07-23

eral discussion about American troop
shipments. The conversation ran as
follows:
Foch-On March % you came to
offer the services of American troops.
have a vivid recollection of the oc-
casion. AS to the American divisions,
In what order do you think they
should be employed?
Pershing-The order would be the
Twenty-sixth, Forty-second, Second.
(The First had already been sent to
an active front near Amiens.) The
regiments of the Thirty-second will
be ready by May l.
Foch-I do not think they can be
used before May s, but the more we
put into the line the better it will be.
Your Seventy-seventh division has ar
rived, see. What about the Third
and Fifth
Pershing-The infantry Of the Third
has arrived. and that Of the Fifth
will soon follow.
Pershlng Stands Firm.
Foch-What we need now Is in
fantry, especially the British, on &C.
count Of the present crisis. That Is
why the supreme war council at Yer
sailles recommended that all tonnage
be devoted to that purpose for the
time being. hope that America may
send over as much infantry as posi-
BILE during the next three months. The
other arms to complete your divisions
can come afterward. What do you
think Of that plan?
Pershing-I cannot commit myself
to such proposition. If nothing but
infantry and machine gunners are
brought over, to the total of 100000,
it will be October or November be-
fore the artillery and auxiliary troops
could arrive, and we could not fore
see the formation of an American
army until next spring.
Foch-I think your calculation Is
rather pessimistic, for we could be-
gin bringing your other troops in
August, but without considering that
point we can furnish you with artil-
lery and it's personnel and you can
have your divisions reconstructed be-
ginning with October. What would
you propose in this connection?
Pershing-I think we should limit
the transportation Of infantry to
May, and that the artillery and
auxiliary troops should come in June
They should not arrive more than a
month later than the infantry. Under
what conditions would you employ
the American infantry units?
Foch Dodges Final Decision.
Foch-A final decision cannot be
made on that subject. That will evil
IDENTIFY depend upon the degree Of in
structiOn of the units. In the crisis
that actually confronts the allied
armies it is electives that we lack.
The method of employing these units
is a question to be handled in due
course and according to their eff
cheney.
Pershing-I would like to have the
conditions under which these units
are to be employed determined now,
and to fix the time during which the
regiments and brigades will be used
separately.
Foch-Make your proposition on
that subject.
1 then explained the details Of the
system that was being followed where
our divisions were in training with
the French and the plan agreed upon
with the British. added that it was
fully understood that If an emergency
should arise while our troops were in
training they would go into battle as
part of the divisions with which they
were serving.
Pershing Refuses to Consent
General Foch then said:
II do not doubt the excellence of
the method, but in the crisis through
which we are passing return to the
decision of the supreme war council,
and / ask you to transport during
May, June and July only infantry and
machine gun units. viii you consent?"
Pershing-No, / do not consent. !
propose for one month to ship moth
ing but infantry and machine-gun
units, and after that the other arms
and service of the rear troops to cor
respond.
Foch-If you adopt the plan pro-
pose you would have by July 81, 30O,-
600 more American infantry.
Pershing-You said just now that
you would furnish the artillery, and
even artillerymen, which would be
Joined with our infantry to complete
our divisions Then why not consent
to transport our artillery personnel
along with our infantry?
Foch-I repeat that 1t Is the In
fantry of which we have the greatest
need at this time. would like to
have General Bliss tell US the consid-
erations which led to the decision
taken by the supreme war council at
Versailles.
Bliss-The collective note recon-
mended to the United States to send
only infantry until the supreme war
council should give instructions to the
contrary. The government Of the
United States, in conformity with this
note and with the recommendation Of
Secretary Baker, consented to this
plan As far as tho pmnlovment of