The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-20
70 BRING ARMY HOME.
HURLEY SAYS SHIPS WILL BE
PROVIDED FOR PURPOSE.
Chairman of Shipping Board, Sailing
for Europe with Herbert Hoover
Today, Has Mission of Returning
Men i'm Army to United States.

New York, Nov. 15.-EdWard n.
Hurley, chairman of the United States
shipping board, announced here today
on the eve of his departure for Eu-
rope that the government intends to
return to this country speedily q
large part of the American expedition
ary forces. The purpose OF Mr. hur-
leys trip to Europe is to arrange
the details for their transportation.
To offset the loss Of transport ton
mage through the withdrawal OF Brit
ish ships hitherto engaged IN carry
ing American soldiers overseas, Mr.
Hurley hopes to utilize 70 or 81
German and Austrian lines, with ac-
commodations for 1000 men each. In
compensation for the "loan OF tnese
vessels, he said, food would be sent
to the people Of central Europe on
their return voyages.
Mr.. Hurley said the shipping poaro
would be able to bring troops oslch
ct the rate Of 100000 month, II
the war department wants them re-
turned as fast as that" He wou!o
meet General Pershing at American
field headquarters, he added, to DIS
cuss the details of their homecoming.
While he will go abroad with Her
bert Hoover. federal food admlnlstra-
tor. to cooperate in arrangements IoI
the shipment and distribution ol
foodstuffs to the regions liberated un-
dor the armistice terms and IN a de-
gree later to be determined to Ger
many and Austria, Mr.. Hurley SAID
his mission had primarily to 90 VIII
getting the boys back home.
Conyalescent wounded, including
,nany who would have returned to the
battle front had the war continued
would be the first troops brought ou'
of France, he said. They would De
followed by units of various branches
of the service, following plans al
ready partly worked out by Secretary
Baker and the general staff.
On future developments in the IL
ternal affairs Of Germany and Aus
tria and their relations with the al
lies, the shipping official ADDED, to-
rether with the trend Of European
events in general would depend the
number of troops to be brought to
this country within the next few
months, but he was preparing, ne
stated, to transport large contingents.
There are 67 transports flying the
! American flag, Mr.. Hurley said, and 1t
is hoped that these, with German
and Austrian liners, which he an
ticipates using temporarily, will SUI
flee to bring American soldiers home
as rapidly as the military authorl-
ties desire If their capacity proves
Inadequate, he added, the shipping
board has 125 double deck cargo
vessels, some Of which can be trans
formed for transport work. He is re-
luctant, however to withdraw these
| from freight service except IN an
emergency.
Mr.. Hurley said he would take up
with the allied maritime transport
council in London. which would n
turn confer with the German ard
Austrian maritime authorities, the
question of utilizing some of the idle
tonnage of the central powers There
were Is liners at Hamburg ana
Bremen, he stated, and ten or Is IN
Austrian ports which could carry IN
the aggregate 100000 men on eac!'
voyage to American ports, returning
with food or other necessary cargoes.
British transports, he stated, which
have carried go per cent. of the Amer
lean troops bound overseas since She
military program was increased last
summer, will be utilized to convey
British dominion and colonial troops
back to their home countries.
Mr.. Hurley said that present plans
call for his return with Mr.. Hoover
before Christmas. They will sail on
the Olympic tomorrow, going first to
London for a three days conference
with food and shipping officials. Frool
there they will go to Paris to meet
authorities of the allied and America
governments in direct touch with the
rationing and shipping situation o.:
the continent.
Commenting on the governments
n1an to continue the emergency SHIP
huildins program to help make up
the worlds deficit of 20,000,O00 tons
brought about through the ravages
of war. Mr. Hurley said American
wards will produce $50 vessels Of l.
0O0. 900 tons aggregate during No
yenber and December. Another 450.
600 tons Of cargo carriers would be
released, he added, by completion on
or before January 1 of voyages in the
nitrate trade, which will be discoa
tinued as a result of the cessation Of
munitions making on large scale.
Mr.. Hurley declared that his board
hopes to return ships in the service
Of the war department and vessels
under it's own charter engaged II
government trade to the regular COM
mercial channels within a year. Th =
shipping board would continue, he as
serted. its policy of paying American
wages and would conduct country
wide propaganda to attract men TO
the merchant marine. A feature Of
this plan, he said, is the preparation !
of a textbook on ships and shipping,
which will be introduced in the pub
lie schools.
Having spent billions in building
an American merchant marine, de- I