The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1917-04-17
Navy's Decks Ali Cleared.

The navy, always the first line OF de-
tense, has cleared its decks of anti
quated membranes, has added new
units modernized to meet the German
tactics and through the patriotic CO.
operation of ship and material makers
is hurrying to completion other mighty
fighting craft that will be the last word
in power and efficiency,
Authorized but ten days ago to re-
cruit to the full war strength of $1,000
men, the navy already Aas almost at
tanned the total. To provide additional
officers a class of midshipmen has been
graduated three months ahead of its
time. A newly organized coast patrol
of submarine chasers is ON duty, and
hundreds Of small craft to augment it
are under construction.
Army preparations are less complete
because of the uncertainty over what
congress will authorize for that branch
of the service. The regulars, number
ing nearly 10000 and trained and
equipped in a way which their officers
believe matches, unit for unit, the
0S1oLCd CLIN1ChSy VI NCli1uIlg y UGSl,
are ready to respond overnight to what
ever call may come. The national
guard, 100000 strong and hardened by
months of service at the border, al
ready has many units in active service
for police duty throughout the country
and can be fully modified on short no
tice
Without additional authorization by
congress the regulars and guardsmen
could be recruited to a combined
strength of 100000, and detailed plans
for whatever larger army may be au-
thorized have been prepared and great
quantities of equipment for it pur-
chased.
Industrial Resources.
Industrial preparations. thanks to
lessons of the war and the patriotic
attitude of industry, have produced a
great, compact scheme of national re-
sources with almost unlimited POSSIBLE
tiles. The Council of National Defense.
In daily conferences with the nations
leading financial, commercial, scientific
and labor chiefs. not only has worked
out definite and detailed industrial
mobilization plan, but has secured the
Endorsement and pledges of the men
who can put it into effect at a mo-
ment's notice
For military reasons only a small
part of the detail of these preparedness
plans has been permitted to reach the
public. 1t is known, however, that for
many months the government has con-
sidered war more than a possibility
and has strained its every resource to
make ready.
In the tense waiting period since re-
lations were broken the president.
while hoping fervently that hostiIities
could be avoided, has kept the whole
machinery of the government in mo-
ton day and night to prepare against
eventualities.
The navy, in order to complete in
record time the enormous building pro-
gram authorized by congress, has en-
listed THE public service virtually the
entire shipbuilding facilities of the
country. Surveys have been made of
merchant craft that would be avail
able as auxiliaries in wartime, and
guns have been placed on many of
them.
Plans are complete for Immediately
taking over into the naval establish
ments the cutters of the coast guard
service, more than a score of steamers
equipped for mine laying and belong
ing to the lighthouse service and the
scientifically fitted vessels of the bureau
of fisheries and the coast and geodetic
survey.