The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-26
SENATE STIRRED
THE MENACE OF
BIG OFFENSIVE.
OF GERMAN ARMY.
Days Session Occupied
With Pleas for Speed
ing Up Production
URGE COMPULSORY
TRAINING BILL
Senator Lodge Says I'm
pleasant Truths Must
Be Told the People
(BY Assoeiated Prsss.l

@= tby ASSOCiaIeG FfeSs.l
Washington, March 26.-Stirred by
the menace OF the great German Of.
fensive, the senate spent todays de-
bate almost entirely on subjects con-
nected with the war and heard Sena-
tor Lodge, Of Massachusetts,, deliver
denunciation Of the delays which
have prevented greater forces from
the United States being placed be-
side those OF the allies in the critical
hour.
An impassioned plea for speeding
up production, was made by Sena-
tor Thomas, of Colorado, who declar-
ed the German forces are thunder
ing at the gates OF Paris and that
the country should be aroused to the
peril that confrOnts us"
Compulsory military training was
advoca "A nv Senator Lodge, who
urged Eu0p tlan OF the amendment To
the draft law introduced by Senator
New, Of Indiana, providing for the
training OF boys between the ages OF
Is and Fl years. s.
Senator Lodge characterized the
situation now confronting this coun-
try as terrible and urged that the
American people be told the truth,
The fate OF this war IL trembling
In the balance" Senator Lodge de-
clared. Our gallant allies are hold
ing back the Germans with sacrt-
fees and courage that goes past
eulogy, In this dark hour it is q
crime to keep from the people the
facts that Germans herself knows"
No Fighting Planes.
1t has been known for weeks,
Senator Lodge declared, that we
have no fighting planes in, France.
We haven't a fighting plane
there" he continued. "our front is
undefended in the air. French and
British have use for every plane they
can bring UP and our men are not de-
Tended. We've no guns in France
except a few old coast guns. That's
the hard fact.
six months we wasted while we
were trying to improve the French
75 millimetre gun, the best in the
world. And now we have no guns
and have gone back to the French
plan-six golden months wasted"
I'VE have turned out only two
American ships, although the coun-
try has been led to believe there were |
thirty-six ships. Some OF these were |
ships obtained by foreign, countries |
and completed by the shipping board, |
which has been in existence since |
September, 1915.
The Painful Truth.
'It is to the last degree painful to
say these things" Senator Lodge, /
"but it is the truth. Let |
the American people know the truth
good or bad. Then we will
have grim determination, setting Of
teeth. Tell them the truth; where we
are today. The world looked to us /
4 year ago to come to the rescue Of
the situation. IL the situation Is to
be saved ii will only be by the re-
sources and manpower Of the United
States.
'What have we shown? A wasted
ear We may be fighting before
very long for our very existence as
In independent nation. Il
Il have held my peace a long time,
Senator Lodge added. But the day
s gone by to hold by my peace. The
ituation Is well known to every
senator and to the members of the
committee, who have done
such great work during the past win
er. But one can no longer stand by
n silence.
IT, as an individual, as an Ameri-
an citizen" concluded Senator
4odge, want the American people |
0 know what the situation is-so
hat they may rise up 70 meet IT,
Senator Hitchcock, of Nebraska, !
aid the estimates of the number Of
.irplanes to be produced has grad ]
ally been reduced 50 that by July
My about one-tanth Of the number
planned will be available. !
Senator Hitchcock said he did not !
eel at liberty to reveal the number /
ow produced but declared 1t "ridi-
l1lously small"
The Liberty Motor, he added,
light only be used in bombing
lanes but he declared IL was not fair :
o say that America has abandoned 1
be production Of combat planes.
ance, he said has reached a limit
nd cannot deliver any combat
lanes to the American army =
Senator Poiudexter. of Washing !
IN, declared. he knew the aircraft 4
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