Grand Forks herald., 1917-03-21
NAVY SPEEDS UP
CONSTRUCTION OF
MANY WAR VESSELS
Corporations come Forward
With Offers of Factories
For Government.
$500, 100000 MAY
BE NEEDED FOR WAR
Army Plans May Call For
Volunteer Army of 500,-
600 Men, it is Said.

Washington, March 21.-All the re-
sources Of the United States, indus
trial as well as military. are speedily
being mobilized to place the nation
in the fullest state of readiness for
any eventualities.
For the present. the responsibility
rests with the navy which is arming
American merchant ships. placing
rush orders for submarine chasers,
spending $115,000.000 by special au-
thority Of congress to hurry the naval
construction already under way. ad-
vancing the graduation of classes at
Annapolis. protecting American har-
bors against invasion by German
submarines and marshalling the in
dustrial resources necessary to stand
behind the fleet.
Army Plans Not Complete.
Plans for the army are not 30 full
ly matured. 1t is believed, however.
the army's participation in war when
ne addresses congress by Discussing
the need Of universal military trkiii-
nos. In g. tentative way, plains for
marshalling the full strength Of the
regular army. the national guard and
the raising OF a volunteer army OF
100000 men have been worked out By
the army war college.
100000 Volunteer Army.
The volunteer army of 100000 Is
planned as nucleus of what event.
ually would be an army of 100000
and would be assembled in training
camps.
The mobilization of industrial re-
sources has gone much further Hun
dreds OF great corporations, through
the efforts OF the council of national
defense. have prepared themselves to
utilize their full efficiency in the de-
Tense Of the nation.
Ford and Schwab Offer Plants.
Henry Ford, the Detroit automobile
manufacturer, has offered, and the
government has accepted. his great
plant to be operated without profit
IN the event Of war. Charles NJ.
scnwao Ssh has announced that his Beth
iehem plant. now greater than
krupps. will be used entirely for the
government. The United States steel
corporation and a hundred other in
dustrial organizations have been max
ing plans for their participation. Yes
terday the great copper interests no
tined the government that they would
supply the army and navy with their
vital supplies Of copper at about half
OF the market price.
100000, 900 Needed.
While 1t Is not known how much
money President Wilson may suggest
to congress as necessary to meet the
situation, leaders in the senate have
held the view that not less than $500
100000 should be granted at once in
case war is declared. It is not prob
able that legislation giving such a
sum would meet with any opposition.
Preservation OF Civilization.
Quite aside from the task of pro-
tecting American lives and rights on
the high seas. the president has con-
sidered the broader question Of the
preservation of civilization, the dis
tribution Of world power after the
war: a natural arrangement Of the
worlds peoples in governments by
the consent of the governed and IN
effective league of nations to protect
the world against another cataclysnn
Of war. The influence of the United
States in the peace conferences 10 ad-
mitted as not to be overestimated.
Word that the president had sum
moned congress was received at the
allied embassies with acclamation
Entry Of U. 5. Into War.
There Is not a diplomat IN the
corps who does not believe that q
means the entry OF the United States
into the great war. bringing ft6
wealth, its armed forces. its xreat -
sources and its moral power to the
side Of the entente allies, In what thSy
feel is their battle for the proeerya.
ton OF civilization and democracy. ~