Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-14
MAIN DIFFICULTIES
OF ALLIES SOLVED
Lloyd George Says Initiative Is
Wrenched From Germans by
Combined Offensive.
MEANS BEGINNING OF VICTORY
Improved Equipment of Armies
Is Reason for Brighter Change
in Prospects.
MEANS BEGINNING OF VICTORY

bcoESe' 5Tl'lSh Minister oil war, pre-
siding to-day at an entente allied con-
ference on equipment. declared that
the combined offensive of the allies
had wrenchcd the initiative from the
Germans. never. he trusted. TO return.
we have crossed the watershed"
lie said. and now victory is beginning
10 flow in our direction This change
is due to the Improvement in our
equipment"
Tho conference was held at the War
Office
since our last munitions confer
cnce." said Lloyd George. there has
been considerable change in the for
tunes Of the allies on that date the
great Champagne offensive in the west
had just failed 20 attain it's objective.
and the French and British armies
had sustained heavy losses without the
accomplishment Of any particular sue
cess.
"In the east the enemy had pressed
the gallant armies OF Russia back some
hundred miles. and the Balkans had
just been overrun by the central
powers.
VICTORIES CHANGE WHOLE:
COMPILATION OF LANDSCAPE
The overwhelming victories won by
the valiant soldiers OF Russia have
struck terror into the hearts Of our
foes. and these. coupled with the i'm
mortal defense OF Nerdun by our in
domtable French comrades. and the
brave resistance of the Italians against
Overwhelming odds in the southern
Alps. have changed the whole COM
plexicn OF the landscape.
Now the combined offensive in the
east and west has wrenched the
initiative out OF the hands Of the
enemy-nevcr. trust. to return to his
grasp. We have crossed the water
shed, and now victory is beginning 10
flow in our direction.
why have our prospects improved,
The answer is. the equipment of our
armies has improved enormously. and
is continuing to improve.
"'rhe British navy until recently has
absorbed more than half the metal
workers of this country. The task of
building new ships and repairing tho
old ones for the gigantic navy and
fitting and cquipping them. occupies
the energies of a million men. Most
Of our new factories now are com
plcte: most of the machinery has been
set up. Hundreds OF thousands OF
men and women, hitherto unaccus-
toned TO metal and chemical work,
have been trained for munitions
making.
SUPPLIES WILL. SOON
BE ONEItWHELMING
Every month we arc turning out
hundreds of guns and howi,zcrs light.
medium and heavy Our heavy guns
are rolling in at a great rate. and we
are turning out nearly twice as much
ammunition in a single wcck-and,
what is more. nearly three times az
much heavy shcll--as VIC fired for the
great offensive in September although
the ammunition VIC expended in that
battle was the result of many weary
weeks accumulation. The new fac
tories and workshops NC SGT up have
not yet attained onc-third their full
capacity, but their output is now in
creasinC with great rapidty. Our
main difficulties in organization. con-
struction, equipment. abor supply and
readjustment have been solved. If
officials. employers and workmcn keep
at it with the same zeal and assiduity
as they have hitherto employed, our
supplies will soon be overwhelming.
II cannot help thinking that the i'm
provcment 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"