The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-10-16
AMERICAN "PEP"
AMAzES ALLIES
War Preparations in Brief
Time Exceeds Fondest
Expectations.
By TRACY HAMMOND LEWIS.

In pite OF the volume of criticism
directed at various phases OF our war
preparation from time to time, there
Is a general feeling among the for
! eign commissioners who have been
visiting this country that the work
accomplished by the United States
since the declaration of war has been
amazing and far above the highest
! expectations OF our allies.
In many minor phases of our ac-
tivity a basis has existed for fault
finding, and in some instances this
has formed the premise from which
! is drawn the conclusion that the ac-
complishments of this country as a
whole have been disappointing.
Part of this has been the result of
| extravagant predictions which have
been made by the government as to
what would be accomplished but
which fell short Of the original san
suine estimates when the day of
realization came.
Not q Serious Reelection.
But this does not constitute a ser
ious reflection upon our war max
| ing ability, for no government on
earth with preparations In the status
existing in this country before the
I declaration could have lived up to
| them.
There is a certain parallel to be
! drawn between this situation and that
! Of Mike Hogan concerning whose con-
! dition Jim Flaherty remarked to
Clarence O'Toole.
NO sir. Mike amt the man he
| used to be-"
NO." agreed Clarence sadly. An
/ he niyir was
There never was the slightest
{ chance that the United States would
! complete in every particular the
! ambitious program, which it outlined
| for itself on April 6. But the en-
couraging feature of the outlook is
that We have actually accomplished
such a large portion of what We set
! out to do.
The Aircraft Production Board has
not turned out the 10000 airplanes
with which it promised to sweep
Teutonism from the skies at the end
| OF six months. But they have a
huge. number and the facilities for
making more are being constantly
! broadened.
We will not have 100000 thoroughly
trained and equipped fighting men on
the hring line by spring, as was fore
cast. But We will have more than
the British, or the French-or the
Germans-ever dreamed eve would
nave. and they will be present in
sufncient numbers to prove a decid,
ing factor in turning the balance of
| battle.
Already there are more "sammies'
at the front than the general public
mas the slightest conception, although
u Is forbidden to state the figures.
sixteen huge cantonments have been
punt and made ready for the train
ing or the thousands of young Amer
lcans who viii be sent to them.
Ihere Is a shortage in shipping
we VIII not be ready at the end of
the year with 5000. COO new tons Much
OF the. delay was caused by lack %
harmony between the two heads nlac-
ed In charge of the work at 5rst
Gen. Goethals and William Denman
But they have been succeeded he
men with whom national instsad ~
personal interests are paramount and
tast progress has been made in this
neld In spite of handicaps caused Nv
labor shortages. 1t is now at work
on 1.css new ships and II will, NOT
be long before the United States has
added very materially to the shin
PING facilities at the disposal of the
U-Boat Losses Shrink.
the United States Navy, and its
heralded mosquito feet 1t is true
nave not succeeded in sweeping the
submarines but the losses by sub
marines have sunk to their Lowest
point. and ship construction IA now
more than holding its own. The At
lantic feet has been doubled. ana an
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