Evening star., 1932-10-16


infer it. Yet July 10, 1917. nearly eight
months before Gen. March appeared
in the War Department. Gen. Mccain
had issued an order concluding as fol'
lows: In the Mail and Files Division
the existing hours will continue: VIZ
day force from $50 am. to 500 pm.
night force from pm. to 1900 pm.
Every night except Sundays and holi-
days, Gen. Mccain was in his office
supervising the work under his charge
For a trained military man Gen
March had great hankering for respon
sibility. Gen. March relates that soor
after his arrival he found that Maj
Gen. Hugh L. Scott, retired, had beer
assigned to command Camp Dix. N. j.
by personal direction of President Will
son. Taking advantage Of the tenn
porary absence Of the Secretary ano
issued an order relieving Gen. Scott
without the Presidents knowledge.
As President Wilson was commander
in chief of the Army, and Gen. March
was his chief Of staff, I do not hesi-
tate to say that Gen. March's act was
not one of which he should boast. 1t
is one of which he should be ashamed
Somewhere about June, 1918, there
came from France stories Of the diff
ficulty Gen. Pershing was having In
getting supplies from the ports to the
troops and advanced supply bases. To
remedy this there was a plan to send
Gen Geothals over in a coordinate
capacity to command the service OF
supply. He was to be independent OF
Gen. Pershing. and to deal direct with
the War Department in all matters
pertaining to his job.
Gen. March says he understood
this plan emanated from the White
House and included a stricter deflni-
ton of Gen. Pershing's duties. The
tary diplomatic business through Gen.
Bliss. Gen. Goethals was to shoulder
the entire burden of supply, thus leav-
ing Gen Pershing free to give entire
attention to strictly military operations.
Gen. March goes on to say that early
in July Secretary Baker told him he
proposed to write to Gen. Pershing to
get his views on the plan. He adds that
he took no further part at the time
beyond expressing to Secretary Baker
his opinion Gen. Goethals was the best
man in the Army for that particular
work, and that Gen. Pershing possessed
as few qualifications for diplomacy as
any man he knew.
"Amazing" Statement
OF all the statements in Gen. March's
book there is none so amazing as his
assertion that he took no further part
at the time in the matter of sending
Gen. Goethals to France 1 shall give
additional information. Tine Leviathan
was to sail from New York July 8, 1918
About July 5 or 6 Gen. Hines, then
ri of ,f,ar V IN
reserve the "Kaiser's suite" on the Le-
viathan for "a very big man going over
OH very big job Hines added that
over the telephone he could not give
name or details. I replied that 1 knew
the man and the job
1 kept informed of Gen. Geothals'
movements. Shortly after his arrival
in New York I started over to meet
him at his hotel But 1 met him on
the street. He remarked that I was
just the man he was looking for. Then
he asked if I knew why he was going
across. and l replied that l did He
said, Il am going in a coordinate ca
pacity. 1t is a big Job. and I want
some man l know as my assistant.
VIII you come as soon as I cable for
you?" Taken by surprise I said I had
been hoping to get to France. and that
l would be glad to go as his assistant.
who Called Goethals Back?
When I had time to think. I re-
gretted the promise. l wanted to go
to France, but I wanted TO get out of
the supply business and command
division. After breakfast July 8, l
again started for Gen. Goethal's hotel.
My intention was to ask release from
my promise of going over as his assist
ant. For second time l met him out
the street. just as he was coming out
of the hotel. His face showed some
thing disturbing had happened He
said his orders had been revoked, that
he was recalled to Washington. Gen.
Goethals told me more, but he has
passed on and l shall not quote him
further.
If there is any man in America who
can be said to have saved the coun-
try's cause. that man was Gen.
rector of storage and traffic the Army
supply departments bordered on col
lapse. The order appointing him gave
plenary powers. and in my opinion was
the most important ever issued from
the War Department. The five bu-
reaus Of the department we're still mill
ing around, treading on one another's
toes, while they carried on among
themselves stiff competition for sup
plies, storage and tonnage, Thousands
of soldiers in camps were without
blankets or woolen uniforms. They
were drilling with sticks because there
were no rifles Ocean TRANSFORMATION
was in dreadful shape because there
was no central directing authority to
coordinate shipping resources. Gen.
Goethals took charge December 28
December 80 he sent telegram: Com
mandeer the Bush Terminals" This
was the finest shipping base in Amer
ica, and exactly filled the Army needs.
He had done more for the port in two
days than had been done in the pre-
eeding eight months.
Control Committee.
Through his efforts was installed the
Shipping Control Committee under P.
A. S. Franklin, who, in the twinkling
OF an eye, built up one of the most
organizations the war pro-
duced. When. the Armistice came the
Shipping Control Committee was oper-
ating nearly 400 ships with 100000
dead weight tonnage-the largest and
best managed shipping organization the
world has known
Goethals built the Panama Canal.
His name and his fame will be secure
as long as ships pass through the
canal. Yet during the war Gen.
Goethals rendered service infinitely
more valuable than all ne did at Pan
anna. He rendered that service under
the stress of a great war Moreover
he is the only man in America who
could have given that service But
his great war time work left behind it
no outward mark. Already it is for
gotten.
felt sorry for Gen. Goethals in his
disappointment at being recalled. Yet
my judgment told me the plan of hav-
ing two coordinate authorities in the
same territory was essentially faulty
The great surprise to me IS that man
of Gen March's ability could have
favored any such plan which made it
necessary for the commanding gen.
eral of great army to make requests
for supplies instead of issuing orders
Friction was bound to develop. That
friction might result IN a new COM
mander of the A. E. F. Was there a