The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-09-12

July, 1919. This epltOmIZeS the preulcteu SAo"l IL
in the service in coming year.
From a vast armada of 1900 ships OF all KINDS
in July, 1919 to the worlds greatest merchant
marine for all time to come. This epitomizes the
devout hope of every man in the transportation
service.
an outgrowth of the recruiting for class No. 3 OF
the naval reserve It developed early IN the
autumn of last year when the urgent need Ior
military supplies impressed the navy department
with the necessity of giving separate entity 10
the operation of cargo ships. There now are
LOO officers and IL 600 men in this branch OF the
navy's service.
A commander of the navy is supervisor of the
entire naval transportation service, win
headquarters at Washington. The New 1orA
division is under the supervision Of naval lieu
tenant.
The great conflict raging in Europe has been
described as a war of transportation. 1t is gen
orally conceded that the 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 ITSELF
therefore, into of transportation, To remedy
the weak points in this means of communication
the navy overseas transportation service was es-
tabIished Thus far from small beginning 1t
has overcome what for while appeared to be
fnsurmountable obstacles, and it is doing a work
that for Importance and efficiency is second to
none in the army or navy.
For every man that the United States sends
to the front about four lightweight tons of ship
ping must be set aside to maintain him. To send
him across without thus providing for his exis-
tence would be nothing short of crime. 1t is
the duty of the navy overseas transportation serV-
ice to see that there is an incessant flow of sup
plies to that ANY interruption through lack
of shipping to man ships would be dis
astrous.
Besides supplying the troops at the front, it is
the duty Of the transportation service to fetch
necessities TO the United States from other
tries Navy vessels used to bring hemp, nj
trates manganese and chrome. Coal is trans
ported to important manufacturing points in New
England to relieve railroad congestion.
American destroyers running about at high
speed in European waters in constant need
of fuel OIL which must be supplied by the trans
pOrtation service from the oil fields of the United
States or Mexico Ali other sources of supply are
controlled by Germany
Already the United States has in Europe
than 100000 men. By the end of next year
there probably viii 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 and operate all any of the
ships. If the service can have the necessary adj
vance notice to personnel requirements there
need be no hitch from this standpoint in the
number of troops sent over. They will be amply
brought back home at the close of the war.
The question of manning this enormous array
of ships seems to be about solved by Edward II.
Hurley, chairman of the shipping board, who is
reported to have requested the secretary of the
navy to begin at the training of % 900 Off
GERS and 100000 men TO the merchant ma
rine
1t thus appears as if the navy may be asked to
man not only the war-zone ships, but those plying
among American seaports and to North and
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 at the time the United States en-
tered the war. Enormous profits were made in
the transportation of essentials by water. Any
old tub that would float worth 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 were 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 20
per cent of this was available for ocean travel.
In addition to any submarine losses America
may suffer she will have to provide perhaps L..
100000 tons to supply the troops overseas and
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