Evening journal., 1917-07-23
IT. WE sPEED-UP THE BUILDING OF SHIPS AND
AIRPLANES WE MAY KEEP MOST OF
DIR SnLnIERS Ar HOME

Y VERY soon now the active work OF building up our
seectve service army will be started Camp cities
will spring up Thousands OF sturdy young men
will go to them They will receive military instruction
based upon the science Of warfare modified on
tho bloody fields Of France and Flanders. They will
become component parts OF a mighty machine prepared
70 defend this country against attack matter from
what quarter OF the globe It is launched America will
thus have something it has had before--a real
army commensurate with the size wealth and import
OF the country We will begin 20 have prepared
in fact rather than in phrase.
Part Of splendid little regular army is already
IN France More Of our troops going. Later
new armies will 60 II our Allies need 100000 men we
will send that many n they need 100000 will send
that many Nobody is keen TO send them. Everyone
realizes It IS only storm necessity that demands they
be sent through submarlnenfesed to face the
dnnger and hazard or battle under tho and torribe
conditions. II we could keep them At home with honor
TO ourselves and faith 70 Allies II could keep
them here and stu throw tho weight Of American
power against tho Germans. we would gladly do So
Now happens that precisely tha phrase OF the war
there is chance OF winning it without all our troops
provided do the other things is necessary have
done The Allies want troops but they Amer
lean ships and American arpianes more urgently. II
we build ships more rapidly than the German subma-
rnes sink them feed and munon our
Allies. More than that We can absolutely make null
and void the submarine campaign upon which the
Germans have pinned almost their last hopes We can
defeat their plans 10 starve England and France into
submission
But building ships-important though II be-is merely
a defense against German offensive. II we build
airpanes also. we help IA great offensive We give
our ALLIES comand OF tho air Wo blind the German
armies We make them tumble with their artillery
We make them ignorant TO tho surprise movements
OF the allied troops. We make possible the destruction
OF their supply depos their railroads and even their
.bridges across the Rhine We make more than prob
able great retreat to that river a retreat which may
degenerate into rout Command OF the air thus not
only brings victory peroeptby nearer but also means
saving the Hives OF thousands allied troops II means
they do with fewer troops OF their own and hence
will need fewer OF ours
All these things-feedng Allies binding the
bringing victory close TO hand saving iivos Of
sending OF any great number OF our own boys-depend
which push through shipping and aviation pro
gram.
I'D TO ship-buildng program has degener
ated mainly into fine talk and squabble about author
ity The administration should see It that there
less argument and more action. There should not b
many reports the printing presses and more ship
the ways Uniers this is speedily done, time tight
the side OF the German U-boats
So with the aviation program which Is now belui
considered byCongress It Is 70 DO hoped that th
necessary appropriations will be speedily passed. I
the end Of the year great feet OF ships and
large number OF airplanes actually in being actually
in service in against Prussian militarism w
will have begun 70 do large and necessary part IN
the task OF crushing Kaiserism