Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-14
CLIMAX OF GREAT WAR.


London, July 1--we have crossed
the watershed and victory is beginning
to flow in our direction" said David
Lloyd George, British war minister, at
conference Of the entente allies. We
hands Of the enemy-never. trust, to
return to his grasp" he continued.
I'VE are turning-rout nearly twice
as much ammunition in single week
as we fired for the great offensive in
September
IF officials, employees and workmen
keep at the problem Of equipment with
the same zeal as they have hitherto
employed our supplies soon Will be
overwhelming.
More munitions means more vic
tories and fewer casualties"
The conference was held at the war
office and was participated in by
Albert Thomas, French minister Of
munitions; General Beliaeff, assistant
minister Of war Of Russia; General A..
Dali Olio, member of the Italian min
istry of war, and the new British
minister OF munitions, Edwin S. Mon
tagu.
AIljss' Fortunes Changed.
+ "Since our last munitions confer
ence." said Mr.. Lloyd-George, there
has been a considerable change in the
fortunes of the allies. On that date
the great Champagne offensive in the
west had Just failed to attain its OBJ
jectiye, and the French and British
armies had sustained heavy losses
without the achievement Of any par
ticular success. In the east the enemy
had pressed the gallant, armies OF
Russia back some hundred Uiiles, and
tho Balkans had Just been overrun by
the central powers.
"The overwhelming victories won
by the gallant soldiers Of Russia have
struck terror into the hearts Of our
foes. and these, coupled with the i'm
mortal defense Of Verdun by. our in
domitable French comrades and the
brave resistance of the Italians against
overwhelming odds in the southern
Alps, have changed the whole COM
plexion Of the landscape.
Now on Road to Victory.
"Now, the combined offensive in the
east and west has wrenched the initia-
tive out of the hands of the enemy
never, trust, to return to his grasp.
We have crossed the watershed and
now victory is beginning to flow in
our direction.
why have our prospects I'M
proved? The answer is, the equip
ment of our armies has improved
enormously and is continuing to i'm
prove.
THE British navy until recently
has absorbed more than half the
metal-workers of this country. The
task of building new ships and re-
pairing old ones for the gigantic
navy and fitting and equipping them
occupied the energies Of a million
men. s. H.,
New Factories Complete.
Most of our new factories NOW are
complete; most Of the machinery has
been set up. Hundreds Of thousands
Of men and women hitherto unac-
customed to metal and chemical
work have been trained for. muni-
tions making.
Every month we are turning out
hundreds of guns and howitzers-light,
medium and heavy Our heavy guns are
rolling in at a great rate and we are
turning out nearlXstwice as much am
munition in single etweek-and, what
Is more. nearly three times as much
heavy shell-as we nred for the great
offensive In September, altho the ammu-
milton we expended In that battle was
the result Of many weary weeks ac-
cumulation.,
"The new factories and workshops
we set up have not yet attained one
third their full capacity, but their
output is now increasing with great
rapidity. Our main difficulties in or
ganization. construction, equipment
labor supply and readjustment have
been solved. If officials. employers and
workmen keep at 1t with the same zeal
and assiduity as they have hitherto
employed, our supplies will soon be
overwhelming.
II can not help thinking that the i'm
provement in the Russian ammunition
has been one Of the greatest and most
unpleasant surprises the enemy has
sustained. STILL our task is but half
accomplished Every great battle fur
nishes additional proof that this Is a
war of equipment. More ammunition
means more victories and fewer cas-
ualties,"