Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-02
Americans Forced to Use
Hospitals of French to
Care for Wounded at
Chateau Thierty.
TARDIEU CENSURED
FOR REQUEST TOU. S.
British Join Celebration
of July -B e | G i a n
Army Is Placed Under
FOch's Direction.
= CAPITALIZATION and compile
ton of three corps headquar-
tefs and staff organizations &C.
1 cupied my attention the last
: rvaak of TI1na 1913

either in line or IN reserve Uenlnu. Lhe
French, 5 were in training in rear OF
the British Army; or those Win tne
French, five were in training in rear OF
vicinity of Villers-C otterets and Chateau
| Thierry. between the French front and
Paris.
The British seemed to think the
French unduly nervous about the safety
of Paris, and that ,Foch was holding a
greater proportion of American troops
b, hind the French lines than necessary.
They believed there was strong prob
ability of another attack against their
front, and felt Gen. Foch was not pay
ing enough attention to their situation.
However, they probably did not realize
that a counter offensive was contem-
plated on this front should the occa-
sion present itself.
Four Corps Organized.
The 1st Corps headquarters, or
ganized in January under Maj. Gen.
Hunter Liggett, with Col. Malin Craig
as chief of staff, had become smooth
" working machine ready for active
service anywhere, but events had moved
so swiftly there had been no opportunity
for the assembly of divisions RS$e
the increasing size of our &sIfy n was
evident that i greater number OF d.
visions WC6id be liable to take part in
operations at earlier dates than we had
thought possible Consequently, the or
ganization of the I'd, Sd and 4th Corps
adquarters was at once completed.
The I'd Corps, Maj. Gen. George
Reed commanding, with Col. George
Simonds as chief of staff, and limited
number of staff officers, was charged
with matters of administration and
command pertaining to the divisions be-
hind the British front. The Sd Corps,
temporarily under Maj. Gen. William M.
Wright, Col. Alfred Bjornstad, chief OF
staff, continued to supervise training OF
divisions serving in the Vosges area.
The 4th Corps was temporarily under
the corps chief of staff, Col. Stuart
Heintzelman, with headquarters at
Toul. BY the actual constitution of
these corps they were expected soon to
become efficient enough to handle units
in operations.
1t was our policy throughout the war
to make the basic corps organizations as
permanent as possible. The corps COM
mander and his staff and certain corps
troops such as heavy artillery, signal
and engineer contingents and supply
units thus formed a team that grew in
efficiency with experience. Divisions
were assigned to corps according to Cir
cumStanceS, but were not attached with
any idea of permanency.
Relied on French Hospitals.
AS to hospitals, when our troops be-
came suddenly engaged in the Chateau
Thierry region we had to rely largely
upon the assistance of the French to
care for our wounded Although they
had given us every assurance that hos
pital arrangements for those operations
would be complete, and without question
did their best it was only through the
mobile hospitals we had organized that
we weer able to give our. casualties
proper attention.
In extenuation of the French failure
to take care of our casualties properly,
1t must be said that when the Germans
swept over the Cherin des Danes to
Chateau Thierry the French lost 5000
beds included In some of their best
equipped hospitals. We had no hospitals
on that front and with limited trans
portation found 1t difficult to supple
ment the scant French facilities. In
fact, the situation as 70 hospital accom-
modations for our troops was about to
reach critical stage.
In this connection a csble was actu-
ally submitted by Mr. Casper Whitney
for the New York Tribune which was
Scathing in its denunciation of our
Medical Department. The censor i'm
mediately informed the medical repre-
sentatives at my headquarters, and
Gen. Ireland, the chief surgeon, re-
quested an investigation, which was at
once carried out by the chief of the
inspector Generals Corps, Gen. Brew
ster. Mr.. Whitney was asked to be
present at all the hearings, and when
the actual facts were brought out,
showing the efficiency of the Medical
Department, he was most apologetic
ana thereafter was an enthusiastic sup
porter OF the wisdom of the censorship.
Had to Enlarge Hospitals.
Our experience during these oper-
atoms showed that We must depend on
our own resources for the kind of hos
pitalization and treatment that we ex-
pected our sick and wounded to receive
Mobile hospitals could not always take
/ the place OF more permanent inStalla-
tons needed after a great battle.
The important question of enlarged
hospitalizations, with ample accommo-
dations and attendants for the sick and
wounded, was, therefore, receiving the
very earnest attention Of Gen. Ireland
in whose Judgment and ability had
complete confidence. Although new
| problems were encountered here and
| there as our troops were sent TO differ
ent parts Of the front, they were all
! met in such a way as TO reflect credit
! upon our Medical Department.
| My diary notes the following:
Paris, Tuesday, July 2, 191S.-After
busy days at Chaumont came to Paris
on Saturday, stopping at Orly to see
new DH-4 with Liberty motor. Saw Gen.
/ Lanfltt on reorganization of S. o. S.
which seems topheavy.
On Sunday went to LIST Division and
| held first ceremony to confer decora-
tons. Camps in excellent condition
Motored to British q. H. c., stopping
with Col. Bacon. Called on Sir DOUG
| las Haig. Spent yesterday and today
with Gen. Read, I'd Corps, inspecting
new divisions, including 80th, 18th, 30th,
33d and 9th. and consider the person.
mel most promising.
Returned TO Paris tonight. Have
learned that French at last have begun
! TO enforce requisition for horses. Bishop
Brent commissioned major, National
Army. Brigade of Regulars, I'd Dr.
vision, storned Vaux this afternoon.
capturing 500 prisoners"
Opposed Liberty Motor.
It was encouraging to see our own air.
planes, even in limited numbers, coming
overseas at last. While some defects in
| manufacture had been observed in both
the DH-4 plane and in the Liberty en-
CINE, these had been pointed out TO the
department at home and were In course
fof correction.
Although the French manufacturers
made many suggestions that we should
adopt this motor or that, and had none
too mildly opposed the adoption of the
Liberty. engine, its success was instan-
taneous. and the Interallied Committee
soon found itself swamped with requests