The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-04-23


Germans made a considerable advance
and inflicted considerable losses, but
were driven out OF possibly all they
gained while he himself suffered
heavy losses.
New ships Are Launched.
WASHINGTON, April 23.-Showing
a marked acceleration over the previ-
GUS week, launching ships from gov
eminent operated yards for the week
ending today aggregated 62.30O tons.
This figure includes six steel and two
wooden ships. Two ships were placed
in service.
Steel ship Iaunchings include:
Westmount, West Lianga, Wassart
and Western Chief, of $500 tons each;
Glen White, $500 tons and the Plain
field $500 tons. The wood ships
launched were:
Calala, 1000 tons and Dumaru, $500
tons.
The two ships placed in service
were cargo carriers OF $500 tons ana
8 100 tons respectively. The latter is
a lake type steamer.
Shipping board officials expressed
qualification at the completion at Seat
tie of the cargo carrier West Lianga.
ffty-fve working days after her keel
was laid. The previous record time
in which a ship was ready for launch
ing was sixty-one days. The launch
ing was made the occasion for cele-
bration at the plant OF the Skinner &
Eddy company. where the ship was
built.
What America Needs Now.
WASHINGTON, April 23.-'Men OF
action-young men"-are needed tor
America to win the war.
This was the belief expressed Dy
Secretary Of War Baker to members
of the house military committee TO-
day. He added that his experiences
and observations while abroad con-
WINGED him that the success OF the
war depends on young rather than OLD
men.
His statement was regarded as In
dicating his disapproval Of increasing
the draft ages to 40, As or 30, AZ has
been suggested recently.
Baker did not go into details as to
the proposed size OF Americas army
today, and was not questioned as 10
whether sufficient men can De op-
tanned under the present draft ages.
This question, with many other appro-
priation matters, will be threshed out
at a later session.
A most promising picture OF the
vast preparations the United States
is making in France for the lighting
men sums up the secretary's talk De
fore the committee today.
Our storage facilities over there,
he said, "if lined up would be build
ing fifty feet wide and two hundred
miles long-practically the distance
between Washington and New York.
The artillery and aviation schools
the United States has established IN
France are absolutely the finest In the
world, Baker declared. and have won
the admiration of our allies. American
artillery and aviation will be two OF
the leading factors in winning the war,
he predicted.
Although very optimistic over the
general situation, Baker emphasized
that the end OF the war probably will
depend upon the throwing Of Ameri-
can resources-both men and sup
plies-in the fighting area in great
quantities.
He made 1t clear" said Represen-
tatiye Kahn, that America must de-
liver a great big punch before the war
is over"
"These crucial times have failed to
shake the firm belief of every allied
statesman and military man as to the
final outcome" Baker said, before the
executive session began.
1.-THE allies now probably for the
first time in the war are working as a
unit" he said. National lines have
been wiped out in the common cause.
This. with the increasing American
strength, makes me optimistic at the
situation"
The secretary was profuse in mis-
praise of the individual fighting men.
They are wonderful" he said.
every man of our force seems 30
active, so eager to fight. Every man
seems to be moving twice as fast over
there as people do over here They
are an inspiring sight"
| Members of the committee were
plainly pleased with Bakers report.
"The keynote of the secretary's re-
view is that there are no pessimists
over there" said Representative An.
thony. Kansas They are all conn.
dent that victory will come to the al
/ lies. according to Mr.. Baker"
ON LAND AND ON