Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-04-12
JUST BEGINNING To fight
Mighty Nation Undertakes Algnly
Work.
Achievements OF ONLY A YEAR.
For Military Reasons Many Primo
Facts in Detail Cannot be Given
If War Continues an Army OF Five
Million May Be Recruited.

If War Continues an Army OF Five
Million May Be Recruited.
Washington. April S.-Thc first an
nversary OF the entrance Of the INV
cd States into the war finds the grea'
resources OF the country just coming
into the struggle but rapidly BENG
prepared.
The achievements of the first year
are chiefly divided between the arii!'
which has been supplying and tram
ing fighting forces, the navy >whici,
has been hunting the submarine anu
conveying troops and supplies 10
Europe, the shipping board when
has been building merchant marihe
and the treasury which has been au-
vancinS credits TO the Allies.
In all other departments OF the gov
crnment there has been a tremendous
effort to bring all the force OF the
country's resources and power TO the
aid OF the actual fighting machine.
For military reasons 1t Is not per-
missible to state the exact numDtr
OF American troops in France WIN
General Pcrshing's expedition, but
Secretary Baker. in recent tcstimoh!
predicted half a million men would DC
there early this year and that another
million would be ready to go during
the year.
American troops have taken up
several positions on the firing line
in France, have occupied sector o'
their own northwest Of Toul and nave
had numerous encounters with the
Germans. Official statements from
British and German army headquar-
tcrs have shown that certain Ameri-
can lighting forces were thrown mo
the battle brought on by IN" great
German offensive this spring, the
British war office first reporting
them as lighting shoulder to shoulder
with the British and French troops III
the vicinity Of Roye.
BY referring 10 the combined forces
OF the regular army and national
guard a year ago. and comparing the
strength of the regular army now. the
National Guard mustered into FEEDER
al service, and the men OF the fist
draft in cantonmcntS. II is apparent
that the total number OF ready fight
ing men has been increased from
a mcagre two hundred thousand 10
something like q million and hall.
with about ten million men register
cd under the draft still available for
calls TO the colors.
Military experts have estimated
that should the war be prolonged and
il becomes necessary Tor the Cnltcu
States to assume the burden OF car
rying on the conflict an army OF five
million men would not he improbable.
The immense and sudden expansion
of the army has not been without
l~,,t 10, Innln
expected in the conversion into a
fighting force of q nation tradition
ally welded to the pursuits OF peace.
The expansion of the naval forces
has been characterized in congress
by many as praiseworthy. The ex-
act details, here too, are shrouded
in secrecy as a military measure, but
il is well known that an emergency
war building programme has heep
bBHeisiie6- Bei 6-with sdch fdpidity Shs nc
United States is well on the way to
place second only to Great Britain
as naval force, and that in destroy
crs alone-most proved and deadly
weapon of the submarine-the navy
by next year will have the greatest
fleet on the seven seas. Since the
United States went to war. the navy
has placed contracts for practically
Il thousand vessels. and besides tina;
took charge OF repairing and seized
German and Austrian ships damaged
by their crews at the orders Of the
German government.
The case OF the great liner Water
land, now the United States ship
Lcviathan, is a fair example OF the
efficiency and speed with which the
naval engineers conducted that work.
When the Germans finished their work
of destruction. the Vatcrland's COM
mandcr remarked he would take his
hat off to the Americans who could
put the ship In shape in time TO be OF
any service.
Within six months from the time
his words were spoken the Faterland
was in running order and since. the
navy has announced has carried num-
hcrs of American troops and great
quantities of supplies to the fighting
lines in France.
BY taking the ships and men Of the
coast guard into it's feet by the
merging of naval volunteers and
naval militia. and with the growth OF
the marine corps the navy has en-
pandcd its forces practically five
times since the country went to war.
In its immense task Of conveying
troops there have been some losses.
notably the Tuscania and the Antil-
les. but the losses of life have been
fortunately small in comparison with
the number of troops transported.
N the same time the American de-
strOycrs. working with the British
in the submarine zone, have made
themselves q terror TO the undersea
boats. How many Of these craft
they have accounted for remains
military secret.
The treasury, concerned with fl
nancing the war. has raised from Lib
erty bonds and war savings stamp
sales more than sS.000.000.000. and
on this. the first anniversary of the
declaration Of war on Germany, Is
the third Liberty loan.
Treasury estimates put the expense
OF the first year of the war at about
100000 100000 exclusive of the ad-
vances to the Allies.
These advances to all the Allies
have totalled. up to the close OF
March, $4,000, 100000. The United
States has been secured with the
bonds or obligations of the countries
to which the money was advanced.
More than s12S,000.000 OF the sum
went to Russia before the debacle
put that country out OF the war. what
return the United States will get, II
any. Is considered doubtful.
Chairman Hurley of the shipping
board. in q recent speech In New
York. at which he outlined the ship
building programme fully for the first
time. declared the great building pro-
gramme which is to make the bridge
of ships to France is % per cent to-
ward completion. He pointed out the
Of the task by recalling
that the shipping board is building
in year. greater organization than
the Steel corporation has been able
TO build up in more than 20 years.
The recent disclosure by the British
that German submarines
actually are destroying the worlds
shipping twice as fast as II Is being
built is the spur which is expected to
put the full force of the country at
this vital task.
Beside the work of the executive
Of the government, the
year has seen tremendous strides In
the mobilization of labor. industry.
science and invention with the sole
aim Of winning the war. Hundreds
OF business and professional men
have given up private interests to
serve the government at nominal pay.
Business and manufacture has given