The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-15
British Ships VIII Be Helpless
Unless They Get Coal.
Then We May Look for an In.
vasiOn of America.
PRICE TELLS REAL FACTS
Chairman of Aero Club Exposes
Condition of Allies.
He Says Fuel Is Their Most
Important Need Now.

Washington June 15.-"If fuel
II becomes increasingly scarce as 1t has
for months past. the British fleet next
fall will be so restricted that the Ger
/ man fleet can escape. Then indeed
will hell be let loose on our own I'M
pr 5tected shores"
This was the bomb shell thrown into
the conference of the national COM
mittee of patriotic and defense socie-
ties here by Raymond B. Price. chair
man of the committee on inventions
of the Aero Club of America and vice
president of the United States Rubber
company.
Mr. Price asserted that the United
States is facing disaster in the world
war because her people are blind to
dangers confronting them and because
J officials of the government are afraid
e to alarm the people" He asked that
u these facts be well considered:
First-Italian munttion plants run
part time for want of coal. Germany
is not worried over the Italian often
sfve because she knows it is limited
by lack of coal. Unless we can send
Italy 100000 tons of coal per month,
She can not long continue her often
sive military operations. The ships
are not today in sight to carry that
coal to Italy.
y Second-The Italian and French
navies are crippled for lack of fuel.
n Germany knows this and seeks to de-
stroy coal and oil ships above all
others.
British Fleet Helpless.
Third-If fuel becomes increasingly
scarce as it has for months past, the
4 British fleet next fall will be so re-
strfcted that the German fleet can es-
cape
ri Fourth-Germany had her greatest
NJ food shortage over a year ago. With
IA 42,00O,0ob people in her captured ter
+ ritories-llmost the population of the
NN British Isles, &c use as she can to
M till the fertile soil of food producing
III Poland and Rumania, she is not to
Isl be starved this year nor next nor any
I'll other year, as things look today.
III Fifth-America must rebuild and
IA re-equip the railways CT France and
ID perhaps Of Russia to win the war.
Some experts say we must, to con-
II quer Germany, send 100000 workmen.
mechanics and railroad operatives
besides an army of from 100000 to
m 100000 men to France. A good start
II even cal not be made within Ont.
* year and perhaps two CT three years
M To maintain five million men chief
a4 ~ in England and just across the 81
mile wide English channel in France,
Great Britain requisitioned one
fourth the entire merchant tonnage OF
the world
Sixth-During the war nearly one
eighth of the merchant tonnage of the
earth has been destroyed. This is
AOuDle NIdl mas DeeH lost III the
same period.
SEVENTH not another ship were
destroyed by mine submarine from
now on, we still could not send l.
II 100000 rlcn to France and maintain
them, one year from today.
Great Tonnage Demands.
Eighth-Nobody has yet added to-
gether the total new demands alone
for tonnage and yet new needs of ap-
palling magnitude are appearing every
week. Great Britain's army of $780,
81 600 in the year 1876 consumed
more meat than the entire British ma
ton, 100000 strong, in 1913. And
yet there are not enough ships to meet
the needs of last year when we stead
ily went backward. How are we to
meet the new demands for cargo
space that our entrance into the war
Involves? An increasing number of
ships will be available next year but
the additions for the next eight
months are pitifully inadequate. Eng
land says one ship this year is worth
six next year
Ninth-How fateful are the next
eight months-when Italy may sue
cumb, when Russia appears helpless
when even the glorious British fleet,
the sole saviour of the United States
for the past three years, NAV be rem
dered impotent. Is it not clear that
hghting for democracy" is for Amer
lea but part of the case? We are
~ fighting Tor our very lives
who says we have met our full OBJ
legations demanded Mr.. Price I'm
der no conceivable conditions can we
build all the ships we ought to have
during the next eight MONTHS
Praise for Northcliffe.
In opening his address, Mr. Price
referred to the brave task undertaken
in England by Lord Northcliffe to
bring exact conditions and needs be-
fore the people and by turning the
spotlight of publicity on government
workings, probably saved his country
from disaster
Secretary of War Baker attended the
conference and made a brief address.
He declared:
Our hearts and hands must be
united if we are to bring this war to a
speedy termination" and asserted the
doctrine of unity and efficiency must
be preached and practiced by all.
THE work before you men and
women today is 70 appoint yourselves
missionaries to spread among all the
people a definite comprehension of the
problems confronting the nation to-