Newton D. Baker to Woodrow Wilson
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I enclose a dispatch which has just come from General Pershing, and which is the last chapter of the conference and agreement about the shipment of troops.
The second paragraph of General Pershing's dispatch I am sure will surprise you, as General Pershing was not in favor of sending troops to Italy when I talked to him about the matter. Apparently, however, the concurrence of Mr. Clemenceau and Mr. Lloyd George, with Mr. Orlando's representations, overcame his feeling in the matter. My own disposition in the situation is to acquiesce in whatever arrangements they feel necessary to make there, because the maintenance of Italian morale is of course of the very greatest importance, and we on this side are never quite in possession of all the information they have over there as to either the need for stimulation of morale or what what will suffice to do the stimulating. In the meantime, I sent General Pershing a cablegram a day or two ago, suggesting the brigading of some of our troops with British and French divisions in Italy as a possible answer to the whole question. I have not had any reply from him on that subject, and do not know whether the dispatch I am enclosing was sent before or after he received my cablegram.
Respectfully yours,Newton D. Baker
The President.
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