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

IN hind the British front were
Il there for training and were not
to be used except in an emer-
gency, the British made continuous
effort to get them into their Lines.
They planned an attack by the AUS
tralians for the 4th of July and re-
quested Maj. Gen. George Read, COM
mander Of the End Corps, then still in
training, to permit some Of the troops
OF the SD Division to take part.
At first the British suggested four
companies, but later they wanted the
number increased to 10. AS the use of
Americans at this time was directly
contrary to the arrangement, naturally
it did not meet with my approval.
Attack Is Carried Out.
Having learned that such a combined
attack was planned, spoke to Marshal
Haig about it when I saw him in Paris
July 3, and he entirely agreed with my
point of view. It seems that Gen. Read,
atterward, in accordance with my in
structions, told Gen. Rawlinson that /
did not want partially trained troops
to participate. However, cur troops had
by this time become fully committed to
1t. Although the British chief of staff
had consented to leave our troops out,
when he learned from RawlinSon that it
would compel them to defer the opera
ton he informed Read that no change
could be made without orders from
Field Marshal Haig, who, he said, could
not be reached, and so the attack was
carried out, as learned the next day.
The incident, though relatively unim-
portant in itself showed clearly the dis
position Of the British to assume con-
troll Of our units, the very thing which
had made such strong efforts and had
imposed so many conditions to prevent.
Its immediate effect was to cause me to
make the instructions so positive that
nothing of the kind could occur again.
The fact that Gen. Read and his Of
fcers and men were keen to get into
the battle went far to excuse him. It
seems needless to add also that the
splendid behavior of the troops in the
operation was a decided argument in
favor OF leniency. This division also
afterward displayed the same eagerness
TO get at the enemy in several hard
fought engagements during the trying
days of the Mouse Argonne.
Balkans Want Americans.
My diary records:
"Chaumont, Tuesday, July g. 1918.
Have spent last few days on reorgani-
cation of services of supply, consulting
"ANAa OSAAS. EAtSSAbhJb MSAh0ACWS ma
good and Eltinge.
Yesterday saw Col. Meriwether
Walker, head of motor transport, and
Col. A. D. Andrews, chief of admins
trative section, general staff
Melville Stone took luncheon with
us yesterday and told me that the As
ISOLATED Press, of which he was then
head, was American first, and that II
we needed its services to call upon him
Gen. Perelli arrived as chief of Italian
mission. Had call by Frederick Palmer
and Casper Whitney.
Today discussed corps and army or
ganization and sector occupation with
McAndrew, Fox, Conner and Fiske.
Have recommended shipment of l20,-
600 tons of steel, besides copper, iron,
lead and lumber promised the British.
inefficient loading of transports and
arrival of troops without equipment
causing some confusion.
"Bulgarians reported tired Of war.
Allied commander on Balkan front tel
egraphs request for American troops"
BuIgarIans Tired Of War.
An appeal for American troops on
the Bulgarian front came through Gen.
Bartlett, our representative there, as
indicated by the following cablegram:
Commander in chief allied forces on
Balkan front desires I report that Bull
garians are tired of war Austro- Hun
gary is in unstable condition and her
troops on this front are not the best
Line of least resistance to decisive VIC
tory is now through Balkan ways. With
additional help of one American divi-