Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-06
A YEAR OF MIRACLES

IreSluent wilson SlgOCu tne ucCldIdIlull
OF war against the Imperial German
Government year ago today. The criti-
cism has been wholesome and necessary.
II has come from the intense desire OF
every one that the whole power Of the
nation should bc mobilzed for war at
the earliest possible moment. We have
been impatient with blundcrs. We have
condemned ineilicicncy. We have prodded
the hesitgnt aud the timid. The flaws
have becl ~ evident and conspicuous
they have apparently prevented US from
seeing the soundness in the work which
has already been done.
The truth is that this has been year
of stupcuduus miracles. Twenty-four
months ago no one believed we could
accomplish in twelve months what has
been done since April 6 Of last year. The
suggestion, for example. that draft law
be passed was scotfed at. We said that
the American people would r~' consent
to compulsory military serv on any
large scale. And Germany ..evcd us.
She looked with contempt on our mill
tary power. She said we we're q com
mcrcal nation, and 80 long as We could
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Entente Allies We cared nothing for any
other war issue. And there were per-
SONS here at home who held the view Of
the Potsdam gang. But We have dis
covered ourselves in the passing months
and we have learned that there arc world
principles for which we are willing ~
fight. Our horizon has been broadcncd
and We are now thinking in terms of the
brotherhood of a democratic humanity
rather than in terms Of u narrow CONT
neutalism.
Consider what We have done:
Twelve months ago we had an army
# 1924 officers aud 2O5,5l0 enlisted men,
Today our army contains l23,S0l oili-
GERS and l,52S.92I men and in a few
months we shall have more officers than
the total enrolment in the whole army
when we ertercd the war. Within
little more ,han two months from the
declaration of war we had our soldiers in
France. They have been going over
there in increasing numbers every month.
The censor will not permit the publica-
tiou Of the size Of our aAmy abroad. but
it is known to be numbered by the hun
Nl'NAH VI llluNSdllNlSs " I Iuht bull' q
great terminal port and extensive supply
dcpotS in France ready for the millions
Of men it is planned to send. We have
accomplished more toward the OTganiG-
ing Of an adequate CNpcditiOnary force
than Great Britain did in the same time.
and she had standing army more than
twice the size of ours was used to war
and was directly threatened by the Ger.
man menace.
The acceptance of the draft law by
nation unaccu6tomed to war and by
people coustitdtioually opposed to forced
service is such Il miracle a. the ancient
prophets would say was brought about
by direct inspiration Of Providence. We
shall never recover from the wonder
of it.
The navy has expanded along with the
army. Its personnel has been increased.
The number Of ships is growing and
inventors are constantly at work per-
fectng devices for destroying the sub
marines. Our destroycrs arc actively
engaged in hunting down the U-boats
and our battleshps are guarding the
Atlantic lanes over which the transports
travel.
An airship-building program has been
laid down providing for II fleet of
machines Of various types which will be
adequate to al the needs of our forces
In spite Of delays and complications, it
Is moving ahead and the planes will he
ready when the men are trained to ly
them.
ShplIldmg plans have been per.
fcctcd FOR l0,p0OOOU tons Of new ship
ping on the ocean. 1t j. expected that
30 steel ships viii be completed thi,
year and one shipyard, which will launch
its first ship on December /, l. planning
to Itunch a new ship every day there
after. There is no reason for believing
that this plan will not be carried out.
We have raised $4,000 100000 for war
purposes in the twelve months, sum
so vast that it cannot be conceived
More than one-half of this amount has
been lent 10 the Allies and largely spent
here for munitions Of one kind or
another. And we are planning to raise
more billions in the confident knowledge
that we have them to spend for war
purposes.
But what has been done Is only the
beginning. 1t was known that we could
not bring our full force into play in. less
than two years. The plans have been
made, not TO produce Il great showing at
once, but to have an army and ships and
airplanes and guns and all the necessi-
ties ready by the spring Of next year.
II was physically impossible 10 do this
sooner. From now on the momentum Of
preparation will gain in force, and as
the months 20 by We shall begin to sec
greater results than those that have
astounded men who have looked beneath
the surface criticism Of the past year into
the actual achievements.
The nation is united as never before
on the momentous issue Of winning the
war. Labor and capital are working
together Men of all trades aud pro-
fessious are agreed, and when We see
what shall have been wrought in another