Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-09-12

I~AAA$l cargo ships of all kinds in July.
1918, to vast armada of LOU IN
July, 1919. This eptomizes the predicted grown
in the service in coming year.
From vast armada 500 ships of all kinds
in July, 1919 o the worlds greatest merchant
marine all time to come. This epitomizes the
service.
The naval overseas transportation service IS
an outgrowth of the recruiting for class NO D Oh
the naval reserve 1t developed early IN tne
autumn of last year when the urgent need Tor
military supplies impressed the navy department
with the necessity of giving separate entity TO
the operation of cargo ships There now are
LOO officers. and IL 900 men in thisbranch OF the
navys service.
A commander of the navy is supervisor of the
entire naval transportation service. with
headouarters at Washington. The New York
division is under the supervision of naval Lieu
tenant.
The great conflict raging in Europe has been
described of transportation 1t is gen
orally conceded that the war cannot be won with
out the American army But the American army
at home is more than 5000 miles from the 'front.'
The problem of winning the war resolves ltseir,
therefore. into one of transportation, To remedy
the weak points in this means of communication
the navy overseas transportation service was es-
tablished. Thus far from a small beginning 1t
has overcome what for while appeared TO De
Insurmountable obstacles and it is doing work
that for Importance and efficiency is second TO
none in the army navy.
For every that the United States sends
the front about four lightweight tons of ship
ping must be set aside to MAINTAIN him. 10 Senu
him without thus providing for his exis-
tence would be nothing short of a crime. 1t IS
the duty of the overseas transportation serv-
ice to see that there is an fncessant flow OF sup
plies to that Any interruption through lack
of shipping or men to man ships would be dis
astrous.
Besides supplying the troops at the front. 1t is
the duty of the transportation service TO fetch
necessities the United States from other coun-
tries. Navy vessels used to bring hemp nj
trates, manganese and chrome, Coal is trans
England to relieve railroad congestion.
American destroyers running about. at high
speed in European waters are in constant need
of fuel oil, which must be supplied by the trans
portation service from the oil fields of the United
States Mexico All other sources of supply
controlled by Germany.
Already the United States has in Europe
than 1.0O0OO0 men. By the end Of next year
there probably will be 100000 men the other
side. This. reckoning four lightweight tons for each
man. will mean that America will have to provide
100000 tons of shipping to supply these men.
Charles NJ. Schwab director Of the shipping
board has said that he is going to build 100000
lightweight tons of ships in the coming year.
The aim of the transportation service is to be
ready to man and operate all or any of the new
ships. If the service can have the necessary adj
vance notice as to personnel requirements there
need be hitch from this standpoint in the
number of troops sent over They will be amply
provided for after they arrive and they will be
brought back home the close the war.
The question of manning this enormous array
of ships seems to be about solved by Edward H.
Hurley chairman of the shipping board. who is
reported to have requested the secretary of the
navy to begin af once the training of 1900 off,
GERS and 100000 men TO man the merchant
rine.
1t thus appears as If the navy may be asked to
man not only the warzone ships, but those plying
among American seaports o North anu
South American ports Naval officers would not
be surprised if it should eventually the
manning by the navy of coal barges and tow
boats.
About 100 companies owned the American mer-
chant marine the time the United States en-
tered the war. Enormous profits were made
the transportation of essentials by Any
old tub that would float almost her
weight in gold Many abandoned ships were re-
paired and put into service Some were raised
from the ocean, where they had lain for years
and rebuilt Coastwise steamships were
put into ocean service Schooners and off-shore
barges took the place of the coastwise vessels.
America had at the beginning of the about
100000 lightweight tons of shipping Only 90
per cent of this available for travel
In addition any submarine losses America
may suffer she will have provide perhaps 12.-
100000 tons to supply the troops oversees ank