Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-03

"UncIe joe" Knights Of Columbus
giving chocolate to An injured refugee.
to blame If prices had risen, as we
had eliminated competition among our
selves, and that our purchases were
and had been for some time actually
handled through French officials.
I objected to these back-door methods
of lodging complaints and emphasized
the necessity of frankneSs and direct
ness in all our dealings. I asked him
to give instructions that If there was
any fault to find with our methods
it should be brought to my personal
attention. He entirely agreed with me
and expressed chagrin and surprise that
any other course had been followed
On the face of 1t, there was no other
conclusion. however, than that both
complaints were made for the purpose
of finding out just the extent of my
independent authority.
Pleased With Apology.
I took occasion a few days later to
let Petain know very politely what I
thought of the improperly of this sort
of thing and also criticized him then
and there for telling anybody, even
Mr. House, as he had done. about the
plan to attack the st. Mihiel salient
as the first offensive by the American
Army. I was pleased with Petain's
apology and his statement that there
would be no further action Of this kind
on his part.
AS matter of fact, think the
French enormously regarded House as
sort of special, ambassador, and
thought that they could lay the founda-
ton for an approach through him TO
the question of amalgamation.
Just before his return TO the States,
House said to me that he entirely
agreed with me and that he felt sure
the President and the Secretary Of
War intended to leave the whole ques-
| ton regarding the disposition Of our
| troops to my judgment. Assurance on
this point was in no sense necessary,
as / had full confidence that this
was the case.
During his stay in France I formed
a high opinion of Houses ability. We
formed q friendship in the beginning
which enabled us to discuss all matters
most freely and frankly. Before he left
for home he and ] arranged for con-
f1dential communication by cable should
it become necessary to reach Mr.. Baker
or Mr.. Wilson direct,
When Mr.. House and Gen. Bliss who
sat in at the second meeting OF the
Supreme War Council, returned to the
United States, Mr.. Arthur H. Frazier,
first secretary of our Paris embassy,
was designated to attend the meetings.
but merely as an observer and without
any voice in the proceedings. It seemed
| to me that we should be actually rep
resented and / so recommended, but
| from a political viewpoint 1t would
bav tnaava f,,av1ro cff hla tho praei-
dent TO designate any one and clothe
him with the authority held by the
prime ministers.
Mr.. Frazier felt that he was more
Or less handicapped from lack of knowl-
edge Of military affairs, and I there
fore recommended the temporary APP
pomtment of Mai. Gen. Hunter Liggett
as the military representative on the
council. Later on Gen. Bliss was named
to the position permanently, and his
selection was very agreeable to me.
The Missing Turkeys.
Immediately upon my return to head
quarters at Chaumont December z,
1917 Gen. Harbord reported there had
been a shortage Of turkey and other es-
sentials of q truly American Thanks
giving dinner and in a facetious manner
deplored the heartleSsness of staff at
| Washington that would so neglect our
troops.
He stated that the shortage was due
10 these supplies which had been or
dered in September for delivery NoVem-
Der !, being buried under a large cargo
| that could not be unloaded in time. The
| following cable was sent as written by
Hartford:
"On September Is supplies for
! Thanksgiving were ordered. Your ca
blegram stated mince meat shipped on
Montanan. There was no mince meat
on Montanan. Mince meat arrived No
vember 26 on Powhatan underneath
heavy cargo which it was necessary to
discharge before mince meat could be
Unloaded. Result, mince meat aboard
ship Thanksgiving day. Sweet potatoes
arrived on Dakotan and could not be
unloaded until November % Result,
some troops did not have sweet pota-
! toes. 1t was necessary to buy geese to
| I'LL acquisitions on account of part of
turkey not arriving, Notwithstanding the
| fact that Thanksgiving supplies were
ordered to arrive in France Novem-
Der l."
Although we had treated this matter
| lightly, / really felt regret that some
of our troops had been deprived of a
homelike Thanksgiving dinner, and at
the same time was not at all pleased
| to have further evidence Of careless I'M
loading of ships.
The difficulties of transatlantic trans
portation in general made it necessary
to limit our demands to those things
that could not possibly be obtained
abroad within a reasonable time, and
every effort was being made toward pro-
curement in Europe. France was re-
spending generously. but her supplies
were not ineXhaustible. Attention was
now turned to the neutral countries of
Switzerland and Spain and also to Por-
tugal. Through negotiations directed
by the general purchasing agent it was
found that these countries wer. willing
to open up their markets. provided the
United States would make concessions
as TO financial accommodations in some
cases and remove the embargo on others.
The prospects for a time seemed en-
couraging for obtaining horses, mules,
railway ties and other needed supplies,
but the numbers and amounts proved
to be limited and the quality. especially
| Of the animals, unsatisfactory.
Russian Officers Rejected.
My diary notes the following:
"Chaumont, Sunday, December is,
1 ip17--Several members OF Food Admin