Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-02-08
D. 5. is A Giant
AMONG THE nations
Resources Qualify This
Country to be Chief
Military Power
BRST FIGHTING
MATERIAL TO BIZ HAD

NEW YORK, Feb. s.--when Germany
boards the United States. statistics
show. she exhibits hsrdihood OF bray
ado most astounding
Should the United States choose 20 de-
velop all her vast powers, military ex-
perts agree. she win become the strong
est military nation in the world No
bslhgerent on either side viii equal hor.
Orher nations, empires. have
larger populations but none has 80
many intelligent citizens Of the type
from which. universal experience shows
tho best lighting material comes
No other nation can approach her
In natural resources.
No other nation can approach her
On actual wealth
No other nation can approach her
IN self-efiiciency and ability to -four
1fh without outside assistance OF any
sort
No other nation can approach her.
history shows. In the invention Of
new weapons OF war; and leading
American military men know that this
factor takes q very important posi-
fion In The calculations OF foreign
military councils when estimating the
Ebiiity Of the United States to resist
or 70 attack
The population Of the United States
and its colonial possessions is near
ty as large as the combined pOpulR.
fion OF Germany and ,Austr1a-Hun-
gary.
Vast Natural Resources.
The entrance OF the United States
5nto the war would add % the re-
sources OF the Entente a national
stock OF gold as large as the combined
Eol6 reserve OF France, Russia and
Great Britain. When the gold in PR.
waite hands Is considered the prepon-
derance OF Uncle Sam is still more
impressive The gold stock Of the
Central Powers together is only about
lwo-hfths Of ours.
But iron. steel and copper are still
more important IN war than gold, and
here the United States shines so bril-
fantly as to dim che rest OF the
world
The United States produces more
pig iron than all the other countries
Of the world combined.
The Central Powers pig iron pro
ducton is equivalent 70 three-eighths
bf this country's production.
Great Britain, France and Russia
combined produce only n little more
than half the amount mined and
rmelted here.
But when we come 70 copper, that
Srdisncnsable OF war, the full import
ancc Of the United States is realized
ln 1916 the United States produced
twice as much copper as the rest oi
the world
Tire Central powers produced abou
one iwrntv-fourth as much copper a
the Jritcd States Great Britain. witt
az her colonies. produces only one
fwoifih es muchs o.. O..
Industrial Leadership.
In industrial development and
larec-sraio production American
epore7 and ingenuity lead the world
While exact figures arc lacking. II Is
known certainly that the United States
has more than four times as many au-
fomohiles as ali Of the rost of the
world put together And the rate OF
production is putting this country
further ahead in automobile owner
ship every moment. despite vast ex-
portationH.
About three-fourths Of the automo,-
bile factory facilities. Il is estimated
viii be put to work immediately on
munitions n war IS declared
The railroad system Of the United
States. compared with other nations
Is a giant among pigmies.
n would be possible 70 spread thi
Inventory OF the American resources
over many pages. Nowhere else doe
a mans labor produce so much a
here. due 10 the uneuualed utilization
Of mechanical power.
All that is needed 10 turn thi
mighty cataract OF national energy {
the business OF war IS time and preps
ration. Unfortunately this prepars
tIon viii take much time. for prepal
edness 80 far has consisted in words
not in deeds.