Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-01-17
US. MUST SPEED
 UP IN BUILDING
 SH|PS--M' FOUNDER
Senator Declares People Must Awaken to the Weak
 ness of America.

Washington, Jan. 16-Senator Me Cumber of North Dakota today gave the senate 9 gloomy picture of the po- sition of the United States and her al lies in emphasizing his plea for radi- cal speeding up of the shipbuilding program. He declared England Was now bearing the brunt of the war. and asked "how long can she stand this strain" The United States must send 5,0O0,00O troops to balance the man power of the central powers, he said, and 100000 would be needed to make the Germans retreat.
 Russia and Rumania are out of the war;, asserted Senator McCumber, "Italy is losing ground. France is un- able to make any headway. The wall of opposition at the eastern end of the battle line in contintenal Europe is crumbling. We can say how long Italy can or will withstand the leu tonic pressure? Optimistic, indeed, must be the man who will say single year without additional support. With Italy under the heel of the conquerer, with France assailed in the flank, who can propresy that that country will not quickly be brought under the heel of the same conquarer, and Eng lands army left to battle against over whelming numbers? This is delineat- ing to things: First, the exact stua- tion as it now is; and second the pos abilities of the future, and it is pre- sented with the hope that we will at least partially awaken to realization of which is before us."
 Weakness Should Ike Known.
 Senator McCumber said the idea that pointing out our weakness dis couraged the American people and en- couraged the enemy was mistaken one, and declared that i've must now learn the lesson that boasting will not win this war" He said he was tired of hearing argument that Germany would be reduced to submission by starvation and stated that the central powers control three times as much territory in Europe as does the allies. The balance of resources held by this country, he said, should not be consid- cred until htere was tonnage to carry men and products across the seas.
 "The entente powers have about reached their limit" he said. "To bal lance the man power of the central powers this country should have to send 5,OOO.OO0 men," and argued that another million was necessary to over- balance the geographical advantage of the central nations and another mil- lion if the United Sates and her allies wished to be the aggressors, in other words 7,00O,000 men to make the Ger mans rearaat
 Give Us Shipsv'
 When the United States entered the war, the allies cried "give us ships," declared Senator McCumber. "We al- layed their fears; we assured them we would supply them shipping. We took that duty upon ourselves, the most important, the most vital duty incum- bent upon us in this war. And we have neglected that duty beyond any other, shamefully neglected it."
 "Thev tell us it was because of wranglings and disagreements in the shipping board,' he declared, and add ed that he believed there was lack of appreciation of the submarine menace in the broad and that he did not be- lieve any member so unpatriotic to delay shipbuilding while his personal differences were being settled. He de- clared "We appointed Kilkenny ship ping board and then went to sleep"