Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-05
ii s TRANSFORMED
INTO WAR MACHINE
Amazing Results of Pre-
paredness Program as Con-
gress Nears Adjournment
NATIONS WORK REVIEWED

WASHING TON. oct. s.
America, rounding out its first six months
N the world war today, has made marvel
Gus records.
From a nation OF peace and unprepared-
ness, the country in six months has devel-
oped into powerful fighting machine
the greatest factor In The war. Congress
on the eve of adjournment Of its war ses
sion. has completed program which, for
magnitude and money, has no equal In
the history Of the worlds parliaments.
on April 6--the day President Wilson
signed the declaration of war--the Amer
lean army was small and unsupDled. The
navy was not fully manned. The railroads
underequpped we're unable TO move their
vast freight shipments. much less to handle
gigantic troop movements. Americas mer-
chant marine was a joke among nations.
The army had less than a dozen airplanes
No laws existed for the development Of an
army and navy such as the emergency re-
quired. no money was at hand for the un-
precedented expenditures necessitated and
no authority vested for carrying out the
war talk
SIX MONTHS ACCOMPLISHMENT
Today, with the passing of only six
months more than a million men are under
arms. Millions more are registered for
service subject to call. Sixteen canton
ment camps-cities each capable Of hous-
ing 10000 men-have been built at a cost
OF SlbU,UUO,VUV. bllllOuS nave Deen lent
to the Allies. Billions have been appro-
priated for equipping and supplying the
soldiers and sailors. There are now three
times as many vessels In the navy as six
months ago. The enlisted strength Of the
navy has increased from $3.50 to more
than 143,O00, and other branches have in
creased from 800 to 500 per cent in per-
sonnet
Twenty naval training camps have been
established and aircraft and projectile fac
tories are being built The airplane con-
struction program assures the presence Of
thousands Of American aviators Oh Euro
pean fronts soon.
The Shipping Board has contracted for
433 ships already. Seized vessels are rap
idly being put into service. Plans have
been competed for three steel fabric ltion
plants, to cost S30,00O,O00. An operating
department has been created sufficient to
run 1900 to 500 ships. Responding to in
ternat,onal appeals for speedy ship con-
structon ON American ways, 1t is planned
to build approximately 100000 tons within
the next eighteen months and thereafter at
least 100000 tons year.
The railroads of the country are operat-
ing one great system.
With ships and troops moving steadily
from this side to France, the United States
in the last six months also has saved the
financial life of her Allies in tremendous
loans Since April she has advanced s2,-
SIS, 100000. Great Britain received ST.
AAUsVVO,UVOs tTdnCet eOoV,VUutVOOs fuSSlAt
S275.O00.0OO; Italy, 1856, 100000; Belgium,
t55,400, 900, and Serbia, $4,000, 000--a total
which amounts TO loans at the rate Of Sl4,.
100000 a day.
This country today - spending approxi-
mately S2.000,0o0 an hour in all war eX-
penditures
To meet these vast expenditures. Con-
gress has authorized by tax and bond
measures the raising Of SEQ 900 900 900.
The Treasury Department successfully
fioated a first Liberty Loan Of $4,000 900,
900 aand has just launched the second for
$4,000, 900 900.
While these great movements were going
on Congress placed in President Wilson 3
hand authority such is not possessed by
any king or potentate.
April "a, eighteen days after war was
declared Congress had passed and the
President signed the $1,000, 900 900 bond
bill simultaneously, 500. 100000 was
placed In the Presidents hands for emer-
gency use. Early in May Congress passed
a bill permitting the Allies to recruit their
citizens in this country. May l2 the Presl-
dent signed a bill authorizing seizure of
Teuton ships. The first big appropriation
for the army-S273.0 .046 ,322-was promptly
passed by Congress and signed by the
President May -.
On May Is the selective service bill had
become a law. June 5 100000 men be-
tween the ages Of twenty-one and thrty-one
Meantime the bill to double the navy and
marine corps personnel was passed and
signed by the President May 20. A war
risk Insurance bureau was created June l2
Early the same month Congress passed the
war budget bill Of $3,390946,3Sl.
BY this time the spy menace had become
manifest, and on June Is the drastic espion-
age bill. giving the Government broad
powers to handle spies, sedltion spre lders
and propagandists of all kinds was a law
Anwerlng a wide appea, for a great air
service Congress respond, | with appropria.
tons Of S7S9, 100000 for an aviation pro-
gram, and Inter provided a special board
TO direct the work
Threatened congestion in railroad trans
portation appeared as the next pressing
problem and Congress passed two measures
--one increasing the Interstate Commerce
Commission from seven to nine member:
ana the other empowering the President t
fix priority shipments
Then long and violent night ensued ovei
establishment OF food controller but thu
President had his way and on August II
signed the food control bill and named Her
bert Hoover food administrator