The Washington herald., 1917-02-18

server, who goes to predict in more
SPECIFIC terms that American ingenuity
VIII find new ways of coping with the
submarine. and that "the addition of the
United States navy to the allies battle
strength would perhaps make possible
operations which might finally destroy
German hopes at the source" But to
balance against this fiattering English
view of our military effectiveness, we
nave the disquieting assurance of the
Chicago Evening Post that "the United
states OF America. is prepared for war
neither commercially nor physically"
since we have neither merchant feet
TO carry our comnerce nor an army and
navy to protect IT." The crisis finds us
unprepared, agrees the Chicago Tribune,
which adds that our navy ''is grossly un-
dermanned," its personnel now being
Z4'tOo snort of the authorized 1900. Still
another pessimistic witness. described by
tne New York Tribune as lone of the
highest of our naval authorities" Is
quoted as saying that because of our
weakness In airplanes and submarine
chasers we would be unable to prevent
plockade OF our own ports by German
O-boats. But at any rate, whether or
not we are prepared to meet the strain
OF war as 1t Is now being waged in Eu-
rope remarks the Philadelphia Record,
we are In better trim for hostilities than
We have~ever been at the beginning of
any previous struggle" For "our navy
is now larger than ever before" we have
had two and half years experience in
the manufacture of war munitions on an
unprecedented scale, and mobilization on
the Mexican border has contributed
greatly to the fighting strength of the
army by the pract4a BAL training 1t has
given to 10000 members Of the National
Guard"
stock of Gold.
Thus. behind the question of the role we
may be destined to play in this war lies
the question of our material preparedness
What are the facts? AS many editors re-
mind US, the entrance of the United States
would add to the ranks of Germany's foes
nation of 1l3,0O0,OO0 population, whose
stock of gold is as large as the combined
gold reserve of France. Russia and the
United Kingdom, whose pig-iron produc-
ton is greater than that OF all the other
countries OF the world combined. and
whose copper output in 1916 was twice that
of the rest of the world. The American
navy with 15l fighting ships and a tonnage
Of 1907 CG0 ranks third among the nayIes
or the world, and our merchant marine
has GROSS tonnage of $4,000 And
while we have Immediately available for
cur fighting line on land, according to the
Chicago Tribune, only about 20 1000 regu-
lars and 10000 partially trained militia
troops, We have more than 1000 900
males from IS to - years old, and AIS 600
OF these, according to the estimates of
Mayor Mitchels' committee on national
defense, would not be exempt from ma
tlonal service because of sickness, ply
sical defects. industrial necessities or de-
pendent families. We are reminded that
England entered the war with an army OF
only about 1900, and improvised an army
Of 5,ooC,C COO while she fought. And we have
the assurance of prominent American
army officer that, thanks to the develop
ment of munition plants in the past two
years, we can provide ordnance and
equipment for an American army as rap
idly as it can possibly be used in the
event of war with Germany.
Industries Mobilize.
When diplomatic relations were broken.
the nation prepared in a mood of sober
resolution to meet war II II should come
The governor of New York ordered the
National Guard and the Naval Militia
into service to guard the bridges and
water supply OF New York City. The
railroad brotherhoods and the railroad
companies declared a truce in their eight
hour fight. The great steel and ship
building companies offered their plants,
representing billions OF dollars of capital.
to the government. The American Red
Cross modified throughout the country.
The War Department planned for the
Immediate creation of a reserve of am
mumtion for an army of 100000 men
The Secretary of the Navy asked Con-
gress for legislation giving the Navy De-
partent complete control of all the wire
less systems in the United States. and
asked authority to commander private
ammunition and equipment plants. Dras-
tic measures were framed for dealing with
spies. Amendments were added to the
naval appropriation bill providing an ad-
ditional $3.50. 600 900 to hasten the construc-
ton of lib warships authorized at previous
sessions now being built. The appropria-
ton for ant-aircraft guns for the defense
of navy yards and magazines was increaed
IN the House by $4,000; and 81 .OOO, 600
was appropriated to buy the basic patents
of an airplane suitable for war purposes.
Mr.. Henry Ford announced his readiness
and ability to build for the government
without profit '1.0o0 small submarines a
day and 5000 motors a day" The Comp
troller of the Currency reported to Con-
gress that the United States is "entrench-
ed financially almost as firmly as it is
possible for any human government to
be-" And President Frank A vanderlip.
Of the National City Bank stated that the
posed s5Oo,o0o,0C0 government Treasury
note issue without q murmur. and more
If necessary. Says the Wall Street Jour-
nal:
Lloyd George once spoke of the silver
bullet winning the war. Our financial
arsenals, are filled with those bullets
gold-plated at that. We can send them
TO the allies by the shipload SO long as
the war lasts. ="
America can take upon itself a larger
part of the task of feeding the armies
and civilians of the allies. Where Ger
many Is hungry. We have grain. Next
spring we can increase the acreage OF
cereals, potatoes and foodstuffs In gen
eral. Governmental regulations may even
be directed to that end. We have more
than 22,0Oo,0oo dairy cows, 40, ,ooo, 900 head
of cattle. 4S,000.OOO sheep, and $1,000, 900
swine. These animals mean food, cloth
ing and leather
There are 25,O0o,oO0 horses and mules
ready for the battlefront or the farm,
or wherever their labor is needed. :"
War calls for copper, steel, coal and
many chemicals. In the. possession of
these military necessities we are the
strongest and best-prepared nation of the
world
IF the short-sighted Kaiser sees MOTH
ing but a mobilization of unframed mon