The Washington herald., 1918-04-07
CONGRESS FINISHES
ITS MOST EVENTFUL
LEGISLATIVE YEAR

CONTINUED FROM PAGE THREE.
statements are authorized by the Act-I
ing Secretary of War, and IN the
estimate that they make OF the
achievements Of the army during the
past twelve months due considera-
ton should be made by the public Of
essential commissions In conformity to
the governments policy Of conceal
ment Of military information Of adj
vantage to the enemy.
ExpedItionary Forces.
Military necessity particularly for
bids a detailed review Of the activities
OF the American Expeditionary Forces.
Gen Pershing and his staff arrived
In Paris on June "A. 1871. 50 days after
the declaration Of war. The first
Aeriean troops arrived in France on
June D. On July 4. in celebration OF
our natal day and a new fight for
liberty, American troops paraded the
streets Of Paris and were greeted as
the forerunners Of great American
armies and vast quantities of supplies
and munitions.
On October 10. 1871. ls7 days after
the war was declared, American SOL
diers went on the firing line. In jan
uary. American soldiers took over per-
manently a part of the line as an
American sector, and this line is grad
ually lengthsning.
Behind the fighting line in France
the American forces have scientifically
prepared a groundwork of camps. COM
munications, supply bases, and works
in anticipation of operations by the
full force Of the army. They are
building and have built railroads, hos
pitals, ordnance bases and docks IN
France. They have constructed inn
mense barracks, erected sawpnills, re-
claimed agricultural lands, and carried
forward many incidental enterprises.
The construction of an ordnance base
in France costing S25.OOO.OOO. is now
well under way. Great quantities OF
material used in the foreign construc-
ton work have been shipped from the
United States-frcm fabricated IRON
work for an ordnance shop to nails
and crossties for railroads and even
the piles to build docks.
Work of Engineers.
American engineers have gone into
French forests and done the work of
the pioneers of our own Northwest
They have frequently been under fire.
One Of their first tasks was the recon-
struction and extension of a railroad
500 miles long to carry our products
from ports OF Decentralization to gen.
eral bases Of operation.
The First Engineer troops, 100
strong. arrived in France about three
months after war was declared. Since
then the number has been greatly
augmented These troops have been
constantly engaged in general en-
gineering work, including the con-
struction of railways, docks, wharves,
cantonments, and hospitals.
An American army locomotive was
built in this country in twenty-one
days and shipped to the expeditionary
forces. Many other locomotives, cars.
logging trains, trucks, dissembled
buildings, and other equipment have
been shipped to augment the output
and facilitate the construction opera
tons of American forces abroad.
All the while there has been a fairly
even flow. Of men and materials from
the United States to France. The
men in the trenches, back of the lines,
on the construction projects, and in
the hospitals have been steadily sup
Piled Our losses at sea, in men and
materials, have been gratifyingly
small The greatest single loss oc-
CURED on February ;. when the Brit
tsh ship Tuscania was torpedoed and
sunk. The bodies os IA soldiers, en-
route to France, have been found and