Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-14
u. S. PART TO !.
SEND SUPPLIES
,IF WAR 10 pEcLARED FOOD AND
MUNITIONS WILL DE FUR
NlsHED ALLIES.
NEED OUR PRODUCTS
RATHER THAN MEN
Frederick Palmer, War CORRESPONDENT,
Says First Step Would 30 to Make
s2,ooo,ooo,ooo Loan For Purchase Of
Munitions - Scouts Zeppelin Raid
Fear.

Chicago, Feb. 14.-Frederick Pal
mer war correspondent, direct from
the British battle front on the Somme.
stopped over in Chicago yesterday long
enough to express few reassuring
opinions as to what the United States
could do to Germany and what Ger
many could do to the United States in
the event of war.
Such statements as that Of Admiral
Robert E. Peary, published yesterday,
which warned against possible air
plane raids on New York, he charac-
terized as so absurd as to cause Com
modore Oliver Hazard Perry, George
Washington and other pioneer war
riors to turn in their graves.
Airplane Flights Limited.
Many people imagine that II war
should break out the United States
would rstand by helplessly while the
York from the air and send their sub
marines to the Rocky Mountains" Mr..
Palmer continued. They quite over
look the fact that the maximum limit
of an airplane is 500 miles, while the
new aerial shells perfected by the Brit
ish have practically eliminated danger
as far as Zeppelins are concerned.
Now in the event of war just what
could the United States do! OF one
thing am reasonably certain. We
would not semi an army to Europe.
The allies do not need men: their sup
ply is ample. They do need our re-
sources, however.
First National Duties.
There would be three things, then,
left for us to do.
First of all, we could officially sub
scribe to $4,000, OOO, 900 loan to be used
in the purchase of munitions. This
country is immensely wealthy and
days.
SECONDLY, we could seize all of the
German merchant ships which arc in
termed in American ports. 1t is true
that they'are covered with barnacles
and in some cases have been deliber-
ately damaged. but not seriously.
'Tf German submarines continued to
sink ships at their present rate there
would be enough German tonnage in
our hands to last two months.
Our Navy 10 Uphold.
"But--and here is the third step In
the series Of possibilities-the Germans
would not sink our ships.
Despite the opinion OF certain per-
sons, our navy is neither too made
auate nor too inefficient to protect our
commerce. We could keep the ocean
lanes free from submarines. The sub
marine Is best In choppy water. The
next two months will be ideal for their
operation and then their effectiveness
will be curtailed. In transporting g.
0O0, 900 troops the British have lost but
one transport.
Fiercsst Fights 70 coms.
"As for the situation in Europe.
am convinced that the most terrific
fighting the world has ever seen will
take place during the coming summer
The Germans must take the offensive
1t Is no longer possible for any army
to remain immobile in the face Of
artillery fire. It must 60 either for.
ward or backward, and 1t is only nat.
ural that the Germans will attempt tc
go forward.
1.-THE British on the Somme are pur-
suing the same tactics as Grant die
during the civil war. They will ham,
mer the enemy until he is crushed
The armies of the French and English
are today in the same condition as
Germany three years ago. They have
just begun to fight.
II can't conceive that Germany viii
force the United States to declare war
but il she does she will be even more
completely crushed than she is bount
to be under present conditions"