The Washington herald., 1917-06-11
Mission viii Urge Large
Merchant Fleet as Best
Aid to officials
Realize Need

Lord Northcliffe's arrival IN thin
country. as the head Of the British
mission. Il awaited with the greatest
interest by official Washington.
Lord Northclif1e will Il was learned
here last night from a man who has
been in close touch with the Euro
pesn representatives. direct the great
er part OF hfs influences toward fore
stalling a repetition by this country
Of Great Britain's mistake at Galhpolo
by sending an army 70 France before
this country has the ships necessary
Premier David Lloyd George. Il ts
known here, has been IN regular com
munication with a special agent here
for months This representative had
special instructions from the British
Premier to 80 beneath the surface:
interview the department chiefs and
learn at first hand what America is
doing. what she 10 not doing and
what she ought TO do. The reports
Of the Premier's representative, par
ticularly those that related to the de-
lays in the shipbuildtng program
and the food program, were Of such
a nature that Lord Nogthcliffe's mis-
sion was decided upon hurriedly.
shIppInE Problem seriousa
The shipping situation. without
NOADA9 10 OhN VI NAAN BANaNNHN
and most perpleXing problems be-
fore the country. No man having
to do with the governments con-
duct OF the war is more disturbed
over II than Herbert c. Hoover. The
ability Of the country 20 furnish
ships vitality affects the food admin
iStration. In fact all the stimulat-
ing to make the 1917 harvest q
record, will be so much lost effort II
there are not enough ships TO carry
the food supply to the allies OF this
country.
Hoover Realizes Need
Mr.. Hoover feels, according 10 q
confidential source, that II Is the
ships that We can build in the next
six or eight months that will be the
important, possibly the deciding fac
tor in the war. Great Britain has
said time and again that the great
est need was for ships. Next years
ships may come too late and IL is
known that Mr.. Hoover feels that
nothing will so quickly lead TO dis
aster as the widespread belief in
this country that the submarine
has been curbed o. even checked
This fact was impressed upon Mr..
Hoover when he was in London. He
was told that Americas first aid to
the allies should come with in
creased tonnage. Everything else,
an expeditionsry force. munitions,
even food and a possible curb TO
the submarine, should be subordi-
mated to that question.
What was told TO Mr.. Hoover
then will undoubtedly be placed
squarely before this government by
Lord Northcliffe when he arrives
Another Official Of the government,
whose views have coincided with
those Of the British. is Theodors
Brent vice chairman OF the Cnlted
States shipping Conlfnission- Mr.
Brent. just prior to the breaking OF
the charges against Gen. Goethals by
Messrs. Clark and Eustis, who said
he was holding up the wooden ship
program. discussed the sending OF an
army OF 10000 workers TO France
from this country 10 rebuild the rail-
roads behind the French lines. He
was asked If with all the ships this
government is now building and all
that will be available. this country
would be able to keep the army Of
workers behind the French lines. He
mo, not with the ships that We
now know will be available when
taken into Considera ton with the
other demands that will be made upon
US for tonnage"
Mr.. Brent was then shown a dis
patch from Charleston, C.IotinC Gen.
Leonard Wood to the effect that II
might become necessary to send an
army of l.OlOOlO to 2.Oln,O fighting
men to France. In this connection.
the correspondent pointed out that
ENGLAND. in order de- l. maintain tsn s5 her
compelled to divert 100000 tons OF
shipping about one-Quarter OF the
worlds available tonnage. TO military
uses Mr.. Brent was asked u this
country would be prepared within
year to maintain l.OO0, 600 fighting men
- NJ RwRVF wRnfiRn.
Il don't know what are the inten-
tions Of the War Department about
sending troops TO France or else
where but within a year, with the
present outlook for ships. We could
not supply food and other necessi-
ties 10 an expedition Of that size.
Britain Not in Need.
The allied mission" Mr. Brent ex-
planned, lbs said TO us that Great
Britain is able to take care OF herself
with her own ships. We must look
after France. Russia and Italy, be-
sides, Of course, looking TO our own
needs.
Italy, We are told. needs 5000 tons
Of coal a month to maintain her as
an effective fighting force" continued
Mr.. Brent. We have to supply ships
coal to France. How We are going
to take care OF our part Of the con-
tract. l don't know at this moment.
There are $4,000 tons Of material
for the Russian government lying on
the docks at New York" said Mr..
Brent. That material, largely rolling
stock and equipment for the Trans
Siberian Railway, has got to be de-
Hvered at Vladivostock 20 move one
million more tons needed by Russia
for her army We have only five
months to deliver this material since
Archangel Is only open for that period.
Here again the situation. as with
Italy, is not a question OF what We
would like TO do but what we can DO.
EVERY day. without considering the
destruction by submarines. the de-
mand for tonnage increases. One
thing that you have got to keep m
mind that there are Certain needs for
our own trade that have TO be met
Every steamer that can be diverted.
OF course, will be diverted. We need
a certain amount OF shipping In our
South American trade 70 bring in
raw material There are ships that
must continue TO carry coal to New
England to keep our vital industries
going.
at Is absolutely impossible 20 do
all these things, which mean winning
the war" concluded Mr.. Brent, with
out stimulating the building Of ships
up TO the last notch"