Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-23


to be 5000 miles from base was often
very much CT o handicap. Our War
Department officials could not always
understand conditions as we did, and
some of them were often none too will
ing to accept our views. A few OF the
chiefs of supply departments seemed to
have the notion that 1t was their duty
to negotiate our purchases abroad them
selves Without notice, they frequently
placed orders with the French or Brit
ish governments that duplicated those
already given by my staff. and they did
SO even after having full information
that We had ordered the same things.
Faults In War Department.
SO Independent of control or sugges-
ton had some bureaus of our War De-
partment become that it was a long
time before their chiefs would consent
to leave such matters to their repre-
sentatives at my headquarters acting
under my authority.
Another source of confusion arose,
especially in the beginning, through
our War Department seeking the opin-
ion of allied representatives in Wash
ington on my requests. After We had
made an exhaustive study and sent spe-
cific recommendations to Washington it
was not uncommon for the chief of the
general staff or the head of a supply
department to refer the matter to
foreign representative for his views or
those of his government. This ofi1cial
would naturally refer 1t back to his
home Office, and it would eventually
reach me through French channels
with request for nv opinion.
Such procedure discredited my rec
concentrations and placed my entire
staff in an embarrassing position in
the eyes Of the foreign government
concerned. to say nothing of the delay
in complying with our requests, which
in many cases were of almost vital
importance. The following protest was
cAbled to Washington. but, as will be
seen later, the practice was not at
once discontinued:
THE Chief Of Stan, Washington:
Inquiry comes from through
French war Office as to my views on
this subject Organization of our unit
recommended three months before).
Have replied that my views would al
ways be sent my own superiors through
proper channels. Seems unwise that
our general staff should permit such
inquiries to be made, at least through
civil commissioner"
This sort Of thing also suggested to
the French the idea, at least tempo
rarily, of handling our business directly
with Washington An example Is re-
called in connection with procurement
of horses. We had obtained from the
French q definite promise to furnish
us with 1000 animals per month, be-
ginning September /.
Some 10 days after this arrangement
was made the French war ONCE cabled
the commissioner, Andre Tardieu, who
in turn transmitted it as sort Of die
tum to our War Department, that it
would be impossible for the French TO
furnish us any horses or mules and
that our Government should begin at
once to supply them, although they Of
fered to loan us 1000 animals on the
understanding that they would be re-
placed by November /. This news was
cabled to me and it was the first no
tice we had that the French did not
intend to fulfill their promise.
In view OF the uncertainty of obtain
ing more than limited amount Of
ocean tonnage, it was natural that we
should procure abroad as large pro-
portion of supplies as possible, and our
supply departments began at once to
make inquiries TO meet the demands
for construction material, subsistence
stores and engineering equipment
Many sources of general supply had
been developed by the French and we
soon found ourselves not only in COM
petition with them and the British,
but our different departments also be-
gan TO bid against each other.
Tore Up Recommendations.
In our Army at home 1t had long
been the custom for each department
TO make its own contracts, without re-
gard to others, except that the quar-
termaster was supposed to purchase and
distribute certain military stores and
other things that were in common use
by the entire Army. Our sources of
supply at home during the years of
peace had been so great and the needs
OF the Army relatively so small that it
had not been necessary to consider the
possibility Of shortage.
In France, however, 1t was impera-
tive TO regulate purchases in order to
I