New-York tribune., 1918-06-29


and June Il, the day when the German
drive against the French and Italians
ended, the Allies lost in prise alone
100000 men," he continued. GAIL Of
these came from the fighting units.
Other losses of our Allies were about
equal to those of the enemy. This is
not surprising, because of the encmy's
superior, artillery, deadlier gases and
overwhelming numbers. Our failure to
do better will prolong the war and
increase it's horrors. We can do more" "
Senator McCumber took Congress to
task for "abdicating its duties and
leaving the executive departments to
direct everything. Con gress, ne said,
has not once asked itself how large
an army will be necessary to win this
war or what tonnage will be required
TO support the army, but instead 1t
has devoted its time to Passing ollls
recommended by the Administration.
Admitting that the Secretary OF War
asked if he has had any more military
training than members of the Military
Committee, to warrant his Judgment
being more acceptable than theirs.
Says Allies Are "Tardy"
The Allies, including the United
States, are "tardy," inefficient follow.
use of big guns and other modern war
appliances, Senator McCumber de-
clared, and any budget providing for
less than an army of five million men
is 'playng with war, and not conduct
ing war;"
Asserting that Secretary Baker and
the press of the country seemed to be
the only ones who had the opinion
some time ago that the Allied line on
the Western front could not be broken,
but despite the optimism of the Secre-
tary Of War, the Senator said, Ger
many broke the line and forced it back
in one place thirty-six miles in three
days, and despite reports of great AL
lied reserves in France, ready to stem
Hun onslaughts, there never has been
any considerable number Of reserves.
"The reserve force lies in the SOL
diery of the United States," he de-
clared. eve might as we'll recognize
that now"
Submarine losses, as computed by
the Navy Department, were cited by
Senator McCumber as another evidence
of "our habit of minimizing our disas-
ters and magnifying our successes"
He mentioned that he recently called
the attention Of the Senate to an
Amsterdam cable saying the Germans
614,000 gross tons. This statement, he
said, led Senator Beckham, of Ken
lucky, to get statement from the
Navy Department, which showed the
actual losses from May 1 to 28, in
elusive, were 233639 gross tons, and
the estimate for the entire month was
258,671 tons.
Two days after Senator Beckham OBJ
tained the statement, Senator McCum-
ber said, the British Admiralty re-
ported the May losses for the British
alone were 224,736 gross tons, and that
losses of other countries from all
causes were 130,959. making the total
losses for May 355,694 gross tons.
He said computation of American
shipbuilding in deadweight tons is mis-
leading, since losses are figured in
gross tons.
Says Power Is Wasted
Senator McCumber charged that
there had been reckless extravaganza
in the use Of American man power and
that the country is not accomplishing
one-half what could be accomplished
said, imported Chinese labor, and
there is no reason why the United
States could not do likewise.
Senator Williams, Of Mississippi,
answered that Senator McCumber had
unconsciously regarded the German as
a superman, and that. as an American,
he resented it.
eve have surprised the Germans at
every turn" he said, adding that the
Germans we're surprised also by the
Belgians, the British and the Serbians.
"They were surprised to DEATH" he
said, "when they could not kick US
the fourth time without our fighting
back"