Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-21
Gen. SomerveII Denies
Lack Of Equipment
Caused Tunisia Loss
Supply Chief Returns
From Bottle Fronts;
Answers Bunkheud
Nv NELSON NJ. SHEPARD.

1t. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell,
chief of the Army's Services of Sup
ply, who has just returned from in
specting American supply lines in
North Africa, the Middle East and
India, declared yesterday he felt
quite sanguine" about the way the
transportation problem is being met
on all battlefronts.
My trip made me more sure than
ever that this is now war of
transportation and distribution of
supplies-a phase we have been en-
tering for some time he told
War Department press conference.
Bronzed and weather beaten from
"a 900 miles of air travel. he came
back from the fighting fronts with
1t. Gen. Henry H Arnold, chief
of the Army Air Forces.
Answers Bankhead.
Hardly attuned to the Battle Of
Washington after six weeks alb
sence. Gen. Somervell nevertheless
took opportunity to answer charges
of Senator Bankhead, Democrat, of
Alabama, that thousands of Ameri-
can soldiers in Tunisia lost their
lives because of the lack of adequate
and effective equipment.
We've got the best equipment III
the world Gen. Somervell main
tanned. Our soldiers are getting
everything and plenty of everything
IL
tion," he added
The time is at hand to place the
strongest kind of emphasize on
transportation, he declared. Not so
long ago, he pointed out, we were
placing first emphasis on war pro-
duction. That phase is passing and
We are new entering the phase of
transportation and distribution Of
supplies to the fighting fronts" he
explained.
Gen. Somervell admitted that
the submarine menace still consti-
tutes the greatest problem to getting
food and supplies overseas. Every
body knows that" he added, but
the fact that our ship losses are
steadily decreasing is an indication
of our success
Overland Transport Hardest.
The problem OF transporting sup
plies from overseas ports to the men
in the lines, he said, is the toughest
part of the job. THE accomplish
ments of United States troops in
doing this compare favorahly with
those Of any other army" he de-
clared.
tons of shipping in the initial move
ment to feed and supply a soldier
at the front for so days, he ex-
planned, compared with seven tons
in 1918 After the initial shipment,
the volume of future needs is de-
termined by the nature Of the
front and the fighting.
He said he believed it possible for
the United States to supply an
Army of 100000 men this year.
| Asked if we could transport an
Army of that size, he shot back a
| quick Yes"
Gen Somervell reminded that it
| takes a year to train a soldier prop
erly for battle. IF we had $500 900
men in the Army, it wouldn't mean
necessarily that all would be sent
overseas by the end of this year"
he said. I'VE would have to keep
large number over here
He defended the administration
estimate of the number of men to be
enrolled by explaining it had been
determined by a group of officers
after a year of study and approved
by the President.
Found Troops EIated.
Passing over journey from Casa
blanca to the Tunisian battle fronts,
to Oran, Algiers. Cairo, Palestine,
Iran and thence to India in BREATH
taking fashion, Gen. Somervelle de-
clared he found everywhere "a
sense of elation" over the supply
situation, the morale and health Of
our troops.
Everywhere I was impressed by
the alertness, resourcefulness, the
good spirits and harmony with
which they are cooperating with
our Allies" he said. They are
getting supplies-plenty of food.
clothes and ammunition and the
best of hospital care" he repeated.
They have all the essentials in the
field, and soon the post exchanges
will be stocked with frills.
He was impressed, too, with the
performances of our fighting equip
ment on all fronts. Gen. Sir Har-
old Alexander. he said, had praised
the American MA tanks as way
and above anything else on the
field of battle
In Iran. where he visited Brig.
Gen. Donald H. Connolly, Ameri-
can officer in charge of supplies,
he praised the cooperation of the
Russians and declared supplies are
being sent to them in steadily
increased volume. A port on the
Persian Gulf, used as an American
base, he said, has more than dou-
bled the volume of goods supplied
to the Russians since taken over.
Lauds Russians.
Both Gen. Connolly and myself
had high admiration for the Rus
sian skill in handling their part Of
the job he said.
Political disturbances in India are
not hampering our operations there,
Gen. Somerveu said Some of the
difficulties of transportation have
been solved, he said, by India sup
plying our forces with at least So per
cent of their food and equipment.
Even steel and iron products were
included.
In the Middle East and in India,
he declared, he found our base hos
pitfalls and Army nurses operating as
efficiently as in North Africa. The
Air Transport Commands ferrying
service is likewise doing a fine job,
he said, with accidents few and
efficiency high"