The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-07-30

plan to bring over unframed units to
fight under British and French COM
mands would either relieve the situa-
ton or end the war.
pointed out that, regardless OF the
depressing conditions and the very
urgent need of men by the allies,
their plan was not practicable, and
that even if sound in principle there
was not time enough to prepare our
men as individuals for efficient serv-
ice under a new system, with the
strange surroundings to be found In
a foreign army.
Here Foch said: you are willing
to risk our being driven back to the
Loire?"
said: Eyes, 1 am willing to take
the risk.
Moreover, the time may come
when the American army will have to
stand the brunt of this war, and it is
not wise to fritter away our resources
in this manner. The morale Of the
British, French and Italian armies is
low, while. as you know, that of the
American army is very high, and it
would be grave mistake to give up
the idea of building an American
army in all it's details as rapidly as
possible"
Cant Bulge Him an Inch"
At about this juncture Lloyd
George, NJ. Clemenceau and Premier
Orlando of Italy, evidently becoming
impatient, walked into the room. Mil
ner met Lloyd George at the door and
said in a stage whisper behind his
hand: You can't bulge him an inch"
Lloyd George then said: swell, how
is the committee getting along?"
Whereupon we all sat down and
Lloyd George said to me: Cant you
see that the war will be lost unless
we get this support?" which state
ment was echoed in turn by Clemen-
ceau and Orlando. In fact all five OF
the party attacked me with all the
force and prestige of their high posi-
lions.
But 1 had already yielded to their
demands as far as possible without
disrupting the plans toward which
we had been striving for over year
and a continuance Of May shipments
into June, without any provision for
transporting artillery and auxiliary
and service of supply troops, could
not be granted without making 1t
practically impossible in the future
to have an American army.
After 1 had gone over the whole
situation again and stated my posi-
ton, they still insisted, whereupon 1
struck the table with my fist and
said with the greatest possible en-
phasis: Gentlemen, l have thought
this program over very deliberately
and will not be coerced."
This ended the discussion in COM
mittee and when the council recon-
vened NJ. Clemenceau stated that the
question of American troops would be
taken up again the following day.
When the council met for the after
noon session of the second day the
discussion of shipments Of American
personnel was at once resumed. Cen
eral Foch spoke at length, repeating
previous arguments and giving
rather grandiose dissertation of the
allied situation and the dire things
that would happen unless the Ameri-
cans agreed to the proposal of the
council.
Lloyd Georges Challenge.
Mr.. Lloyd George in turn spoke at
some length. He asserted that the
Germans hoped to use up the British
and French reserves before their own
were exhausted and that the British
had already called up nearly 7,000,-
600 men for their army and navy and
had extended their age limits to all
men between eighteen and fifty years
Of age.
IF the United States does not
come to our aid" he said, then per-
haps the enemy's calculations will be
correct. If France and Great Britain
should have to yield this defeat
WOulu uG HUuULdUlCS 1OL IhCy WVuAu
have fought to their last man, while
the United States would have to stop
without having put into line more
than little Belgium"
Possibly realizing the unfairness of
the comparison he quickly went on
to say that he was sure was doing
my best to meet the emergency, and
that:
General Pershing desires that the
aid brought to us by America should
not be incompatible with the creation
of the American army as rapidly as
possible.
81, too, am counting on the exist
ence of that army and am counting
on it this very year to deal the enemy
the final blow. But to do that the
allies will have to hold out until Au-
gust"
CHAPTER XII
Speaking in the name of the Amer
lean army and in the name of the
American people," told the supreme
war council during the second day
of its session at Abbeville, May 2,
1918, Il want you to realize that we
oro ronJxy fo hoor 1orOo n