The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-28
CAN'T BREAK THRU
Baker and Daniels Admit Allies
Can't Defeat Germans.
This Means United States Must
Turn the Trick.
OUTLOOK NOT PESSIMISTIC
Big Task, However, Faces the
American Forces.
DestrOyers Only Thing That
Can Check Submarines.
OUTLOOK NOT PESSIMISTIC
BY JOHN NIGH. STUART.

bI OOIlN hSI1 81 I AM
Washington. July 2S.-This is a
summary of what the three Ameri-
cans in closest touch with the war
situation think of it,
The western front Is a nut so tough
to crack hat it cannot be cracked
with the present allied tools.
The United States will have to do
that
The United States can d. it.
The failure of the Russian often
sive was far more disastrous than
had beer anticipated. 1t was an
utter rout.
But the very Reorganization of
Russia is encouraging in the sense
that Germany can make no ad-
Vantageous peace with the newest
republic.
The United states must raise the
proportion of men to drive back Teu-
ton fighters on the western front
Or the flank of the western front
must be turned.
To do either of these things we
mu. free the seas of submarines ana
dominate the air. And the French
and British can more than hold their
own unit, we can brinr pur forces
into play for these purposes.
Great Task Ahead.
This is the picture sketched today
by Secretary Baker of the war ae-
partment; Secretary Daniels of the
navy department. and Acting, Score
tary of State Frank l.. Polk. II IS
composite picture drawn after long
talks with all these three men IN
which the whole situation was thoro-
~ d! jcussed 1t is not a pessimistic
picture 1t reveals a great task. But
it was the picture before Americas
eyes when war was declared 1t mas
not grown worse as the details nave
been painted in by the experience Oh
the last three months.
AS always, the great nub of 1t all
looms up as the submarine. Were
the submarine not always factor,
our troops could be rushed to France,
trained quickly there, more quickly
equipped, and hurled into the battle
line.
Everyone realizes the Importance of
this in Washington tonight.
Secretary Daniels stated that the
whole shipbuilding facilities Of the
country are concentrated on two things
merchant ships and destroyers. 1t
was gathered from Mr.. Danielss talk
that the naval authorities have be-
come convinced that the destroyer is
the only way of coping with the sub
marine. It's construction and use will
be pushed to the limit. 1t will be used
to convoy ships and to maintain
blockade off the submarine bases.
Have TwOfold Purpose.
This campaign will have two effects.
according 10 observers here. 1t will
hold down or even decrease the nItrn-
Der of Germany's submarines and it
will permit our merchant shipping to
grow.
Mr.. Daniels said:
We are not pulling any merchant
men off the ways to make room for
destroyers but if anyone can tell me
where we can build new destroyer
Wen lay her keel tomorrow"
Just how long it takes to build
destroyer of the most modern type can
two years before the war. The in
crease in speed of construction has
been startling.
The great ray of sunlight in the
whole situation as it developed in the
course of today's Interview was this
the French and the British can hang
on 1t is officially admitted here that
the spring offensive was failure
The German line was only pushed
back-not broken. But the latest eff
forts of the crown prince have DEM
'onstrated that the allied line cannot
! even be pushed back-much less
= broken.
Outlook Not Pessinistic.
Secretary Baker reiterated his dec
laration that the officers back from
the western front are not pessimists.
Washington, outside of the war col
LENS size. The war college has al
ways known it. There were shocks
in the war departments five billion
dollar budget that made a great many
people see the light. The budget in
cludes two billions for armament of
Notifications" 1t cannot be believed
that such an armament is to be used
at home. 1t contains an item of over
a half billion dollars for the mill
tary information section of the general
staff corps
These items mean that the forces
we send to Europe will be euuipped
from the heavy cannon twenty miles
in the rear to the spies and scouts
within the enemy's own lines.