South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-05-07
Expect Initial Contingent viii
be. Made Up of Select
ed Units For Moral
Effect.
CENTRALIZED CONTROL
OF PREPARATIONS URGED
CONSUMPTION Bill is Hating
Plans For Increasing War
Strength-Want Fleet
Modified Faster.
Internationai News Service

International News service
WASHINGTON. May lit has
been definitely decided that Amer
lean troops shall go TO France. The
date OF their sailing and all details
concerning their dispatch will be
withheld. Until they finally take
their places on foreign soil no in
formation regarding what the make
up OF the detachment shall be or
anything i'm connection with plans
will be made public
It is considered certain, however.
that the initial contingent will be
made up of seleo.ed units. Both
the French and British missions
have emphasized that it is not the
size Of the force that viii count.
Rather il is the effect that I1nowIege
that the Stars and Stripes actually
are on the firing line viii have on
the enemy that will count the presi-
dent and the general STAFF have
been told
Centralize Control.
Serious agitation for more cen
tralized control Of the national war
preparations is apparent here. With
the GmeEican-A war enter
ing It's 3lst day only one branch of
the government shows real results
the finance
TI~ ID. l.-.-r...-r-- 81
the mercy OF congress. which still
is splitting hairs on the CONSUMPTION
bill
The navy has made progress. but
only along certain lines and the
assem- bling OF the huge fleet OF T.
boat destroyers necessary 20 protect
the coast D. proceeding most leisure
" The many other sweeping and
important problems that are under
the general direction Of the council
Of national defense are dragging
along with only slight Roadway be
ing made
Efficiency Increases.
Meanwhile the efficiency Of the
German submarine is daily iucreas-
ing This means. army and navy
experts say. that not only viii the
work OF getting supplies. especially
food and fuel 90 the entente be more
difficult daily but the program Of
Transporting an American army 70
France will prove far greater
problem that has been anticipated
when the success Of Canada in get
ting her forces into the field is con-
sidered
The navy department still is with
out official advices from the naval
consulting board bearing out the
claims OF Chairman IS. l. Saunders
that solution OF the Submarine
menace has been found officials
said that while promising progress
has been made % is too early get
20 rejoice They say that eventually
science viii md "a solution FOR the
problem but az present simply ina
terial progress" has been made
The premature publicity given the
progress made. however coupled
with the fact that certain high Of
fcials have been accused Of talk
ing too much" and OF revealing So
/ crets connected with the war pre-
/
withheld has added 20 the agitation
for a different method of control OF
the whole question or preparedness-
The fact that the nation really
s. at war was brought home 70
Washingtonians today for the first
time Under orders from the var
department all officers on duty here
is any capacity whatever must wear
their uniforms while on duty. or
dcials are making every effort 70
wa ke the nation up 20 the serious
ness OF the war situation and his
step is taken FOR that purpose. offic-
falls say Heretofore. all ofhcers
wore citizens clothing and the only
change in the situation was the dis
play ~ the national colors from the
many buildings