Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-21

their order to bring monthly shipments
up to 1900.
Considering questions OF supply, we
were always forced back to the subject
Of shipping. Our tonnage allotments
were not keeping up to our increasing
demands. In July. for instance, we
were allotted 475,0O0 tons, against my
request for 100000, and we received
$4,000 tons. 1t was the same in Au-
gust, when We were allotted 100000
tons and received Sill 900, and, on the
basis of receipts for the first two weeks
Of September, 1t was probable we would
run some 100000 tons short that month.
The situation was so grave that in my
cable setting forth the deficiencies
said, Unless supplies are furnished
when and as called for our armies will
cease to operate"
To aggravate matters, shipments
seemed haphazard. For instance, in
August $4,000 excess tons of quarter
master supplies were sent of which We
had a surplus, and in that month the
shipments showed a deficiency of 50,-
coo tons pertaining to the transporta-
ton department and motor transport.
In cabling this to Washington stated.
You must prepare TO ship supplies We
request instead Of shipping excessive
amounts Of supplies Of which we have
a due proportion"
Threatened Disaster.
1t was next to impossible to consider
with complacency situation which
left us not only short Of supplies but
almost without modern means to move
our armies. When a nation Is forced
into war without preparation, neither
men nor equipment are at once forth
coming and time is required to de-
velop the flow Of all that is needed,
which is dinicult because of the pres
sure for haste from all quarters.
Yet after nearly 10 months Of war it
would be reasonable to expect that the
organization at home would have been
more nearly able TO provide adequate
equipment and supplies and to handle
shipments more systematically. 1t was
fortunate, indeed, that we were not
operating alone, for the failure to meet
our demands would long since have
caused us serious trouble, IL not 1r-
rCparable disaster.
There was hope, however, Of some i'm
provement in the tonnage situation
When Secretary Baker came back from
England to be with us at the beginning
of the Meuse- Argonne battle he brought
the welcome news that he had sue
ceeded in getting an allotment OF 20O,-
600 tons Of shipping from the British,
on the condition that we should help
them out later in the shipment OF
cereals if it should become necessary.
He cabled President Wilson asking
approval Of an agreement he wished TO
make with Lord Reading that there
would be no diversion of tonnage from
the amount needed for the maintenance
Of our forces in Europe If We would
agree TO cooperate with the allies by
using our tonnage for their supply pro-
grams as their needs should become
paramount. With the prospect Of having
this additional amount of tonnage
available at once, the situation began
TO look more hopeful.
The arrivals of personnel were not
keeping up with the 80 division pro-
gram, even as construed in Washing
ton. Our contention was that these 30
divisions should be combat troops and
that in addition we should have cor
re sponding number for the various units
connected with the S. o. S., but Wash
/ ington took another view. At any rate,
for the forces then in France there was
needed to balance the command l29,-
900 Army troops, $4,000 corps troops,
83 900 S. o. S. troops and $1,000 re-
placements.
100000 Men Seen Limit.
In order to make definite plans for
the future, it was necessary for us to
have the troops for the various pur-
poses in due proportion. However, 1t
was evident from the correspondence
that, in the opinion of the War Depart
ment, 100000 men would be the high
est number that could be trained, trans
ported and supplied.
Under date of october 2 Secretary
Baker, who was now about to leave for
/ a. y -I1 NfVSer
and other matters of great interest. Re-
/ ferring to events at dinner in London,
| his letter is quoted here, in part:
Mr.. Lloyd George said he had some
thing which he felt it very important
| to say to me, and to say with great
frankness. We all kept quiet and he
| talked. 1 should say, for half an hour
without Interruption. l cannot repro
Just Think Of It.
1 AL 1