The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-04-04
REVIEW or AMERICAS PART IN
TWELVE MONTHS
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MUCH
Many Things Remain To Be Done.
Resources Of Country Have AS
tonished the World. All Look
to the United States.
(By CARL d. GRoAT)

vi ITtSlueul WilSOH TtQucSt lOI wal
on Germany, great part of the world
struggle, with remarkably vast rec
ord of achievement.
More thousands OF men are now in
France than army men a year ago
dreamed could be put there; American
naval vessels, cruising the submarine
zone, are doing their bit-and a big
one--to stamp "schrecklichkeit" out
OF the world; vast army has been
trained and Is now being seasoned;
another is about ready to enter camps;
American war wheels are whirring,
grinding out ships. guns, shells, rails
tremendous stream Of material to
back a growing, enthusiastic army.
And, there Is abroad in the land a
war spirit, deepseated and fervent, a
spirit born of the realization that Ger
many is now controlled by the militar-
istic plumbers, who in their madness
are stretching forth their CORY hands
to crush the weak and the strong and
to make the world unfit and unsafe
for democracy.
Americas Part.
Some of Americas mighty task is
still in the making. There have been,
and still are delays in war work. Some
of our expectations were exploited too
boldly, and there are disappointments
ahead
But, all in all, the conversion of the
country from peaceful land to the
biggest single reservoir of strength to
back up the Allies has been a story
of progress upon which history will
doubtless look with praise.
Voluntary censorship forbids that
the press shall indulge In figures re-
vealing the number of forces abroad.
ut Bis recalled today that Secretary
of War Baker predicted 100000 men in
France early in 1913" and II is known
that troop and supply transport. while
nampered during the coolest weather
have been maintaining prearranged
schedule recently. For some time,
American forces .lave had part in
the Lorraine fighting and their work
has shown than America will never
need to have other than pride in the
men she is sending forth to war Valor,
vigor, and an enthusiastic eagerness
have marked each encounter with the
, Hun.
Germany Bent On Conquest.
While a portion of the oversees
force has been fully seasoned for front
line service, a considerable force is
still training behind the lines.
In this country, the camps and can
tonments have ground out their men
until now second draft call is immi.
Enent. The last increments of the first
draft are still training and the second
call will be for 100000 men.
| The pacifst has been driven. skulk-
| ing, to obscurity. While the nation has
sought to gain separate peace with
Austria through political offensive,
there is now no peace talk. The Rus
sian collapse, followed by Germany's
robbing of the corpse, showed her
without a mask-a nation bent on
conquest.
| This has done much to cement the
American people into stern retermi.
nation to fight on vigorously. II has
stirred up war industry and war train.
ing
The war department has passed
through many tribulations, and con
gress has raked it thoroughly over the
Goals. The result has been that a re.
Organization, started before congress
undertook it's probe. has been com,
pleted and now the departmental
wheels run smoothly and with more
vigor than before. Chief of Staff March
has pumped pep into the organization
Younger men are at the helm. Chiefs
such as Gen. Goethals, quartermaster
have the important posts.
Calling Upon Resources.
The navy, with less reorganization
to accomplish, has met such transition
as it needed with less difficulty be
cause of the smaller scale of its needs
The nayy's biggest contribution has
been destroyers for foreign service
These vessels and their craft have aid
ed substantially in destroying or ward
ing off the Teuton U-boats. Now, the
navy is engaged on a vast destroyer
building program. which with the r'orC
boats, the submarine chasers and tn,
anti-subnarine devices of American
genius will take an added crimp il
Fritz upon the seas.
America has poured forth her none.
in lavish streams. This fund runnin
not in six figures but in mines and ten
is being converted into war lnateris
!. rapidly and. for the most part. eff
/. GENTLY.
: The ordnance bureau. for instance
+ has placed contracts running far pa.
a billion dollars, while aviation hi