UNCLE "SAM SLICK."

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1917, Page 3

UNCLE "SAM SLICK."

CANADIAN BANKER'S OPINION OF AMERICAN WAR "PUSH.

The Montreal correspondent of the S'ew York Evening Post recently reported to his paper: The speed with which the first detachments of the United States expeditionary forces were landed in France, and the admirable success of the financial measures undertaken to meet the war outlay, have caused some revision of opinions as regards the time at which American intervention will become effective. It is thought now that by November the American troops in France will number several hundred thousands, with the prospect of steady increase during the winter months. Bankers in Montreal and in Toronto who have been in close touch with military financing apparently formed the opinion, when the United States declared war early in April, that extensive participation by American armed forces in the fighting on the western front was not to be expected until the spring of 1018. Mindful of the experience of Britain and Canada in turning large numbers of civilians into soldiers capable of taking their places in front of the enemy first line, they naturally thought nine months or a year would be required for the vast preparations necessary to equip., train, transport, and maintain the vast new armies. While the American armies actually in France this fall may not be large enough to enable the Allies to break up the German defences, it is practically certain that they will be important enough to cause the German high command, and the German soldiers in general, the gravest uneasiness regarding their co-opera-tion in the Allies' assaults upon the Teutonic positions early in 191 S. Taking a broad and general view of your war progress to date, it can be said that the Teutons certainly have grounds for apprehension regarding the onset which will be launched against them next spring on the west front (unless they meantime make their great surrender) by the better-equipped and outnumbering armies of France, Britain, and the United States.