Evening star., 1932-09-04

BY GEN. PEYTON C. MARCH, U. S. A.,
Retired,
Chief of STAFF in World War.
DREsIDENT WILSON interfered
ssy ss:s .! Win Il: %:. V B5:ss:
L men during the war while I was
chief of staff, and both times
he was wrong. The first Of these was
the Siberian expedition; the other, send
ing American troops to Murmansk and
Archangel, Northern Russia.
I came to duty as chief of staff a
pronounced western frontier. From a
military standpoint, in my judgment,
the war would be won or lost en- the
western 'front.' and ! opposed at all
times the slightest diversion of our
troops from that objective. I preached
this doctrine to the Secretary Of War
and he accepted it. In addition to the
military reasons, the obvious impossi-
bility, with our limited shipping, CT
establishing war bases and new lines
of supply to all sorts of outlying coun-
tries appealed to any clear-headed busi-
ness man.
In June, 1918, Secretary Baker re-
ceived letter from the President
which was accompanied by an unsigned
tllC Vi Va WAlASAA W 40
net disclosed. In substance, the memo
randum proposed intervention In Siberia
by 10000 to $4,000 men, American,
British, French and Italian soldiers;
talked in general way about living
on the country" and was extremely
vague in all details.
Wilson Agreed at First.
The Secretary and I conferred upon
this document; dictated memorandum
opposing the project. President Wilson
agreed with my presentation and l
hoped further diversion of our forces
had been finally scotched.
However, July Q the matter came up
again, insistently, and to minimize the
withdrawal of troops destined for France
I proposed to the Secretary that if the
President for diplomatic reasons felt he
had to join in the Siberian expedition
the American effort be confined to
troops then occupying the Philippine
Islands and be handled by ships which
supplied these troops. This was set
forth in a memorandum shown the
President by Secretary Baker.
Shortly thereafter Secretary Baker
informed me the President had yielded
to the allies and had agreed to send
troops to Siberia as part of joint allied
expedition, to which the United States
and Japan were to furnish the major
portion Of the men, in equal parts The
President accepted my proposal to limit
our forces to the Philippine contingent,
our whole force not to exceed 1000 men,
and that its objectives should be strictly
defined and limited. He also demanded
Japan accept the same limitations OF
strength and objectives.
Japan Agreed to Limit.
I tod the Secretary that, In my
opinion, such an agreement was futile;
that Japan was military power whose
military policy included expansion on
the Asiatic Continent; that as socn as
she got authority to land troops she
| would disregard the limit Of 10000 and
the definite objectives and would spread
out all over Eastern Siberia and would
be most difficult to get out. During my
service with the Japanese Army in Man
churia as military attache and
observer in the field in the Russian
/ Japanese War I had become thoroughly
convinced of the aims and aspirations OF
their military men as they then existed.
That night the President called a
| conference at which were Secretary OF
State Lansing, Secretary Baker, Secre-
| tary of the Navy Daniels, Admiral Ben
son and myself. The President entered
| the room with a pad in his hand and,
taking a position standing and facing
us, somewhat in the manner OF a
school teacher, read his views on the
matter for the guidance Of the different
! departments of the Government con-
| cerned, whose chiefs were then before
/ him. The President added that Japan
would be asked to accept limitation
| NJ Y nm mon ond agree tn the ObieCtiVes
| proposed by the United States.
When he had finished he turned to
Secretary Lansing, who agreed and
commended the paper. Secretary Dam
iels also approved and Secretary Baker
nodded. Turning to me and finding
me shaking my head vigorously, the
President said with some asperity
why are you shaking your head, gen.
eral?" and instantly he went on: "You
are opposed to this because you do not
think Japan will limit herself to 7,00C
men and that this decision will further
her schemes for territorial aggandize.
ment?"
japanese Land $4,000.
I have never been yes-yes man. sc
n replied: "Just that and for Other
military reasons which have already
told YOU" He replied: We'll, we viii
have to take that chance"
i We adjourned, with the organization
of the expedition committed to me.
had foreseen this result and already
had ordered that the general stan wori
out details.
Everything having been arranget
. August 2, met Secretary Baker In hi
p6ics. told him that everything was Y