Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-24

plated an additional period Of training
for divisions of about three months
after reaching France.
AS to General STAFF officers. the very
limited number at my disposal had been
able to outline basic plans, but as our
forces grew increasing numbers were
needed, especially to aid in the direc-
ton of troops in battle. My cables had
failed to make much impression on the
War Department as to the difference in
functions between staff officers with an
army In the field conducting operations
and those on duty at the War Depart
ment, where they we're charged mainly
with preliminary organization and
training and with directing the procure
ment and shipment of supplies and
equipment.
In our Army abroad experts of high
order were necessary in administration,
intelligence, tactical training, and espe-
cially in operations, as we'll as in direct
ing supply and transportation of the
active armies. The following cable
expressed my views:
Urgency training General Staff off,
GERS for particular duty at Army Head
quarters cannot be overestimated. Their
services are needed now to study details
in connection with operations and other
duties. Our staff officers generally have
little conception of problems involved in
directing armies or of strategic
questions involved. We are now
planning for Spring campaign and sue
cess not possible without thoroughly
efficient General Staff Limited num-
Der of officers brought In June much
overworked and unable to handle and
fully consider many subjects requiring
immediate action. Impossible to make
this appeal and recommendation too
~ l.
taken up with Secretary of War with
out delay"
To meet this lack of experienced
General Staff officers with our armies,
the General Staff College estab-
lished at Langres, a few miles south
of Chaumont, provided an intensive
course of three months. which, though
brief, covered instruction in the de-
tails of our own staff organization and
administration. our system of supply
and the coordination and employment
of our forces in combat.
Well Grounded in Theory
While the student officers were Sc
lected for their aptitude, it was not
possible to graduate thoroughly trained
staff officers in such a short time, but
the urgency was so great that the
course could not be made longer. Hav-
ing been taught common doctrine,
with loyal sense of cooperation we'll
accentuated, they were fairly we'll
grounded in theory and had to trust
to the costly school of experience for
the rest.
The maintenance of good order
among our troops under the peculiar
IF IN
important, and for this purpose a mil
itary police was essential Such a
force. under the control of the provost
marshal general, correspondent to the
police department in a we'll organized
city. except that its jurisdiction in
cluded only those in the military serv-
ice. The British, whose situation was
similar to our own. gave us helpful in
formation regarding their system,
which, with slight modification, was
adopted for our armies. In our previous
wars the Provost Guard. so called,
usually consisted of troops of the line
detailed for the purpose. but without
any special training for such duty.
Col. Hanson Ely was selected to or
ganize the police corps and made a
good beginning in laying the founda-
ton, but, at his own request, he was
shortly relieved and sent to regimen
tai duty. His successor, Col w. H
Allaire, became provost marshal gen.
eral until the following July, when he
was relieved by Col. j. c. Groome.
Brig. Gen. H. H. Bandholtz, on
account of his special fitness for such
work from his experience as chief of
constabulary in the Philippine Islands,
became the permanent head of the
corps in September, 1918
Due credit must be given to each
Of these officers but particularly to
Bandholtz for the smart appearance
and the high efficiency of this force.
The military police we're indispensable
in directing and handling traffic during
combat activities. in preventing strag-
Cling and in maintaining order among
scattered groups of our armies both
before and after the armiStice. The
organiza ton November l, 1918. num-
bered 463 officers and 1912 men,
spread over the whole of France
Tomorrow: Pershing blocks Clemen-
ceau's efforts to rush our unframed
troops into battle.
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