Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-13
Allies Ask That Infantry
and Machine Gun Units
Precede Other Arms
From U. S. to France.
CIVILIANS FLEE CITY
AS OFFENSIVE OPENS
Conference at DOullens
Suggests Clemenceau
for Supreme Command
on Western Front.
CHAPTER xXXIu.

~ ECRETARY OF WAR BAKER
went to London to discuss with
the British authorities the pros
~ poets for additional shipping and
also the general subject of NUM-
tions. While there he sent me the fol-
lpowing telegram March Is embodying
suggestions from the prime minister,
which showed the deep anxiety OF the
British:
st have Just had long talk with the
prime minister. He urges three pro-
posals for your consideration: First, that
our divisions in France be placed i'm
mediately in line to relieve French divi-
sions for service elsewhere, quiet sectors
being chosen for troops with least train
ing.
troops be taken from lines Of commune
cation work and sent to aid of British
engineers preparing positions back OF
present lines. It is urged that suspen-
sion of our work would be but tempo
rary and that the work suggested Is
imperative.
Third, that Infantry be sent first of
the entire six divisions to be transported
by British, in view of present acute
needs of that army. No answer to the
foregoing is necessary until see you
tomorrow. when we can discuss the
suggestions fully
Haig Asked for Help.
AS to the question of using our troops,
Gen. Petain, in response to my offer Of
assistance on my visit to Compiegne,
had already stated that the best thing
we could do for the moment would be
to replace French divisions in quiet sec
tors, so that they could go to the aid
of the British or elsewhere, as might be
desired, and preparations were under
way to that end.
Meanwhile, Sir Douglas Haig. British
and heavy artillery, of which three reg
iments of the former were placed at his
disposal at once and the personnel of
two regiments of the latter about to ar
rive were offered.
I went to Versailles March rs and
talked with Gen. Giardino, who had re-
placed Gen. Cadorna as Italy'S military
representative on the Supreme War
Council Gen. Glardino made an ap-
peal for an allotment Of our troops.
He argued that their presence would be
tangible proof of the intense feeling of
cooperation that inspired the American
Nation, that it would encourage those
Italian working people who had been
in America, that 1t would increase their
confidence in the successful outcome Of
the war and. above all, that they need
ed help.
No doubt much of this was true, but
it would have opened the way for SINH
lar concessions TO the other allies, and
in the end our forces would have been
frittered away, probably to little or no
purpose. These appeals by the allies,
presented anew from time to time, only
served to fix in our minds the idea that
each was thinking in terms of its own
army rather than of benefit to the al
lies as a whole.
Mr. Baker returned from London that
evening and I met him at the Care du
Nord in Paris. The station presented a
scene that could never be forgotten. The
terror stricken crowds from threatened
villages and farms were fleeing they
knew not whittier, many Of them for
the second time during this war, from
an enemy whose invasion of their coun-
try In days gone by had perhaps driven
out their fathers and mothers before
them.
War In its effects upon the armies
themselves is frightful enough, but the