The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-07-13
THE WAR FACTS
No Good Can Come From conceallne
the Dark Side.

Probably history will say that Lord
NoIthcliffe in risking life, wealth and
reputation to give Great Britain truths
that were either not appreciated or Of
ficially admitted. contributed material
~ toward saving his country from dis
aster. In America today the same
problem exists. Grave warnings are
issued by important officers of our
government, but in many official quar-
tiers the question is asked What good
does it do to alarm the people?
If the chosen leaders of democracy
are afraid to tell us the full dangers
confronting the nation, can democra-
cy be the strong, virile force we are
relying upon for the salvation of hui
manity? Can it compete with auto.
cracy? Is it worth fighting and sacri-
ficing for? There can be but one an
swer SO let us have plain facts
whose import shall not be lessened by
the generous gratitude Of our allies
for what we have already done.
No matter how well we have pre-
pared to meet our obligations in this
war, if the need is yet greater, we
have so far failed. Most of us admit
that under added pressure or greater
inspiration he could have accomplish
ed more. If facts like the following
had been driven home to our people
during the past months, is it not GER
tain that we should have more men,
more money, more ships, more sup
plies, more speed, because delays,
very visible at times, would not have
been tolerated?
Consider well these facts.
Italian munition plants run part
time for want of coal. Germany is
not worried over the Italian offensive
because she knows it is limited by
lack of coal. Unless we can send
Italy 100000 tons of coal per month
she cannot long continue her offensive
military operations. The ships are
not today in sight to carry that coal
TO Italy.
The Italian and French navies are
crippled for lack Of fuel Germany
knows this and seeks to destroy coal
and oil ships above all others.
II fuel becomes increasingly scarce
it has for some months past, tile
British feet next fall win be so re.
stricted that the German feet can es.
cape Then indeed will hell be let
loose on our own unprepared shores
Germany had her greatest food
shortage over a year ago. With A..
100000 people in her captured terri.
tories-almost the population of the
British lsles-to use as she can, to till
the fertile soil of food-exporting Po-
land and Rumania, she is not to be
starved this year nor next nor any
other year. as things look today.
America must rebuild and re.equip
the railroads of France and perhaps
of Russia to win this war. Some ex-
perts say we must, to conquer Ger
many, send 100000 workmen, mechan.
les and railroad operatives, besides an
army Of from 100000 to 100000 to
France. A good start, even, cannot
be made within one year, and perhaps
two or three years. Do you know that
to maintain 100000 men chiefly in
England and just across the q mile
wide English Channel in France, Great
Britain requistioned one-fourth the
entire merchant tonnage of the world ?
During the war nearly one-eighth
the merchant tonnage of the earth has
been destroyed This is double what
has been launched in the same period
If not another ship were destroyed
by mine or submarine from now on
we still could not send 100000 men
to France and maintain them, one
year from today.
Nobody has yet added together the
total new demands alone for tonnage
and yet new needs of appalling magni
tude are appearing every week. Great
Sritain's army Of 100000 in the yeal
! 1856 consumed more meat than the
entire British nation 46,000,000 strong
in 1918. And yet there are moi
enough ships to meet the needs o.
last year when we steadily went back
ward. How are we to meet the new
demands for cargo space that our Ell
trance into the war involves? An in
creasng number of ships will be avail
able next year. but the additions iol
the next eight months are pitifully in
adequate England says one ship this
year is worth six next year.
Who says we have met our full oh
legations? Under no conceivable con
ditlons can we build all the ships W.
ought to have during the next eigh
months How close we come to it d.
ponds in part upon how well we, o
these patriotic societies bring tn,
need home to our people. Then ma!
the pressure of enlightened publ,
opinion urge Congress and the execu
tive staff OF the nation, with their co
operating agencies, to their utmost il
speed efficiency and unselfishness
and adequate attention to the creates