The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-02-25
The Problem, Always and Today

What the United States has attempted in this war was
before heard of in all the worlds history what II
has already accomplished is without precedent.
The proposition transport vast force over 5000
miles of ard keep supplied No other nation ever
did anything app coaching this and il our basic, all
important proposition Upon which all our other war propo
stons depended ard without successful solution of which
we might as well tnue as an outraged and dsgraced
trail Ten months arc when decided TO engage IN this
Herculean labor tina this was our proposition plain
and definite to the er ire world Moreover such con-
dtons in entente countries that were clearly limited rs
to time which solve problems In other words we
infested but get l. before our friends already IN be-
exhausted through lack of food and other supplies
That have in Europe 100000 Americans, well armed
well trained well provided for modern business is re-
markabe II is something without parallel to say nothing
about the millions and Miles of tons of supplies we've
landed in Europe for the allies But what the present
Our present forces in Europe but n drop in the
necessary bucketfu.
The premiers of England France and Italy have just
issued demand upon us for more and more food
The antiGerman belligerents have less ship tonnage
To supply million of in Europe would require
the constant service of from to millions OF tonnage
The U-boas are destroying shipping at the rate OF to
experts say that the best do under present
tonnage this year And in ten months we haven't put
ton Of ,I new tonnage 4 into the service =.
is today than before because have wasted
Today we find that we need 100000 shipbuders
Short of ships to transport his fighters Secretary Baker
passes the buck to Chairman Hurley who it on to
labor Washington dispatches of February and 8
the effect that full realization of the extent to which
American troop movements depend tonnage has to
all the governments" The president has important
ference with Hurley and others at the head Of the ship
building business. The chief topic of the Supreme War
Council at Versailles is that of finding ships.
After ten months during every day of which main
problem growing bigger and exgent confess
that dsorganized inefficient and short of the labor
to build ships. All antiGermany, today, finally realizes
that the problem ships the plain. urgent problem Of ten
months ago
Evidently. the question of this hour is this, no
less
Can the allies hold Germany with its manpower and
gunpower increasing by additions from the east until
we launch the necessary ships?
There is question to starving Germany in the
matter of food material for battle There question
to relief through internal embarrassment in Germany
Austria. 1t is matter of meeting Germany at her
mightiest, and it is almighty question.
AS said above, undertook labor such other
nation engaged in and have accomplished than
other nation did To convert millions of peaceful
people into fighters large proposition But to make
them the greatest shipbuders this world knew
easy We had the men, the money the material ready to
hand We got good horse but fought the style of
wagon We missed it. Wen pay like blazes. if don't at
have the highest Of organization and efficiency.