THE U.S ARMY AS I KNOW IT

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 17 May 1917, Page 6

THE U.S ARMY AS I KNOW IT

ONLY TRAINING NEEDED TO MAKE IT FIRST CLASS.

(By General Sir O’Moore Creach, Y.C.) For many years it nas Keen my good fortune to have been in contact with Americans of both Services. I was in Aden during the Hispano-American War, and saw a great deal of the United States soldiers and sailors passing through that port. General Merritt, who conquered Manila, and his staif stayed with me on their way to Paris, where he was 'due as a member of the Peace Conference. In the course of a very pleasant day we spent together he told me much about the Philippine Islands that was of the greatest interest, especially emphasising the friendly relations which existed there between the fghting men of the two countres Subsequently, in China, during the Boxer campaign, in which American troops took part, and afterwards in other foreign lands, it was my fortune to meet many Americans. Among others I made the acquaintance of Admiral Evans,betterknown as “Fighting Bob.”

In my experience, whenever American sailors or soldiers have been alongside British Tars or, Tommies, they fraternised most cordially and from their manner it was almost impossible to tell that they were not of the same country.

In China the American officers heartily detested the bullying and rude manners of the Germans, whose attitude towards the inoffensive and helpless Chinese simply made their blood boil. The American soldier never in the least disguised his distrust of the Huns, and his attitude -was that of standing no nonsense from them o At the beginning the German officers behaved most insolently to American sentries, refusing, for instance, immediately to obey their orders. I must not say what happened, excepting that the Germans had a rude awakening, and decided that it would pay them to mend

their manners. QUALITIES OF VICTORY. The American fighting men, like our own, have what is of most importance in war—moral strength, exaltaton of spirit, and ardent patriotism—and whenever these qualities are to be found in a nation there you may presume with good reason the likelihood of victory. Of the American sailors ’ efficiency my opinion is of little value, but I always heard our naval officers express themselves in the most favourite terms of the ability of their American confreres. The United States soldiers I saw while I was abroad were highly trained, very well paid, and generally well done by. They were all men of excellent jjhysique; as a rule, tall, ath-letic-looking men, very much after the stvle of our Australian and New Zea-

land troops. Their excellent discipline left nothing to be desired. Where it differed from the discipline of our own men was in the respectful familiarity between all ranks. I thought at the time that the results quite justified this relaxation from an iron sort of control. The American soldiers always struck me as developing an intense individuality under a regular discipline; so much so as in most cases to enable them intelligently to anticipate'orders. When I was in contact with them the readiness with which they understood orders and acted upon them proved to me that they foresaw most moves. A YEAR FOR TRAINING. If the Americans should come into the war it will take them some time to organise their forces —probably a year. They would begin, however, with much in their favour. Tie country is rich, self-contained, and is not liable to serious attack. It can fall back upon enormous war industries created for the service of the Entente Powers, though America would be doing us an ill turn if the equipping of her new armies interfered with the supply of munitions for the Allies. Germany professes to treat the possibility of an effective American army with contempt, but if the war were to last another twelve-mcnth —which I think is extremely unlikely—Germany would have good reason to change her opinion. The miracle that England performed is not impossible to the great Republic of the Western Hemisphere, “ ! ' : It must not be forgotten that numbers of Americans have already fought in the Canadian Contingent and in the Foreign Legion. In each case they •have given an admirable account of themselves. American aviators have served with the French and made themselves much esteemed.

I am not at all sure, however, that the Allies would wish to wait for America’s reinforcements. The best practical help that America could give us would be to increase the supplies of ammunition for the I Hies and ensure us of any additional financial hacking that we might req-'re. ' Still, as i have said, if the var were *•"' go into 1918, assuming th-t a state of war does break out betw'en America and Germany, we could depend upon the United States standing be- ! hind the Allied armies with almost inexhaustible reserves. < I weight mention that, deducting <

coast defence troops, departmental staff, and garrisons on foreign service, the mobile forces ,of America are only 30,000 distributed over the country in small, isolated detachments. Behind the Regular Army is the Militia, composed of units of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, with a nominal strength of about 150,000. Owing to the troubles in Mexico, some 70,000 of the Militia are embodied, hut they are not trained as yet on lines to enable them to meet a Continental army on equal terms. As all Americans from 18 to 45 are liable, with few exceptions, to be called up for service in the Militia, it will be understood that the active hostility of Aerica is not a matter to be so lightly treated as the spoon-fed German papers are treating it to-day.