Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-06
INVENTIVE GENIUS OF
NATION BENT To TASK
OF CONQUERING SUBS
Millions in Money and Thou
sands of Men to Be Used in
Gathering Down Menace Of
the Submarine

NEW YORK. April S.-The British
steamship Stanley. from Newport News
March with cargo of grain for Cher
Dourg. was sunk by a German subma
rine without warning on March 81, anC
Ave members OF her crew killed. Fiji
teen survivors of the ship reached here
today on the steamship Port Albany
Two other members OF the crew, one an
American. died of exposure I'm open
boats.
| WASHINGTON, April 3.-Millions in
money. thousands of men, untold effort.
and the inventive genius of the country
is today conferred on batterins down of
the U-boat menace.
This nation will raise a great army.
And 1t will prepare for possible ella sh
of dreadnaught against dreadnaught but,
by the presidents words, chief effort and
industry and expenditure of money will
be employed in hunting down the under
sea terrors.
Government officials frankly admitted
this fact today. They warned against in
sufficient means of striking at the u
boat peril and implied that the brains
of the navy are being applied 10 solu-
ton of this. perhaps the biggest phase
OF the conflict.
The fenite plans of the war depart
ment are waiting to go forward ito con-
gress when it is ready to receive them.
DETAILS CONFIDENTIAL.
President Wilson gave a clear view
OF the Immediate steps TO be urged in
his address, but until the departments
plan has been submitted, however, de-
tails are regarded as confidential.
The first element of the plan, the
president has already disclosed. 1t is
the assembling OF 100000 men under
universal service system as an addition
to the regular army and national guard,
which would provide a total war
strength force OF 100000.
II is assumed that colncident with
the calling out of a new army orders
TO recruit the regulars and guardsmen
10 full strength would so out. Whether
that will be done by voluntary enlist
ment or by draft has not been dis
closed
Army officers believe 900 is the
maximum number they can undertake
to train at once. In a few months, how
ever. an additional 100000 could be call
ed out, 10 be followed out at intervals
by other similar increments until a totai
army of the desired size has been mus
tered
General staff officials have consistent
ly urged that a minimum of 100000
trained and equipped men should be pro-
vided for national defense. If that num-
Der is taken as including the regulars
and national guard. a new army more
than 2.000. 900 strong would be necessary
to make the total
TRAINING HARDEST JOB
The training of the first half million
will tax the personnel and machinery
OF the regular army to the limit. The
units of the regular army, il is said,
will be vitality necessary to carry the
work forward. For that reason the sug-
gestion that an expeditionary force be
sent to France as a symbol met with
A cold reception today among officers
of the general stan. One officer said
such a step would be military suicide"
as the only troops available would be
the regulars who could not he spared
from training work
There IS much uncertainty as to the
use to which the national guard is to
be put. as no information was forthcom-
ing. The guard forms the great re-
serve from which officers for the new
federal force could be drawn. With
more than $4,000 guardsmen now on po-
lice duty. however. and the number as
signed to this work under federal direc-
ton being increased every day, il was
suggested that the full strength of the
state forces might be required for pro-
lection of property.
President Wilson is believed to have
spoke in direct accordance with the ad-
vice of the war department and the
general STAFF. There is reason to believe
that the administration is looking ahead
for year or more to the time when
the national military power would be
fully developed, in planning for actual
participation by American troops on Eu-
ropean battlefelds.
War Secretary Baker and the advisory
commission of the council of national
defense, are today discussing:
War plans on a basis of three years
conflict.
Suggestions for food control for the
nation.
Universal service-not merely uni
versal military service.
These three vital projects were car
ried into the defense councils session
today by Samuel Gompers. head of the
committee on labor. They were decided
on as the most immediate projects 20
be disposed Of at a meeting of the labor
committee attended by Secretary of La
council: Howard Coffin. in charge of
the munitions committee, and other
members of the councils advisory COM
mission.
THREE-YEAR BASIS.
1t was admitted officially today that
every detail of this governments part
in the war must be considered on the
three-year basis; that a serious strug-
gle is ahead: that the health and in
diyidual effort of the nation must be
therefore conserved and directed with
this fact in view; that labor's part will
be vast in q war that has demanded in
a few months the same amount of labor
production that former wars have re-
Quired in a year
Plans for the spending OF the $780,
900. 900 available for preparation for
war against Germany have practically
been completed by the navy department.
il was officially announced today. The
fund is composed of the s115,000,000
emergency appropriation for shipbuild-
ing and speeding up construction and
mn nm aDnronr{at for amin