The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-09-29

transported at the rate OF dUV,uuV u
month. The republic is making every
sacrifice that goes with war This il
no time for forensic oratory, high,sound
ing platitudes or phrases. II is no time
TO think of trifling things. The ser!
business of the war should be foremost
in every citizens mind. IT should bege,
from every citizen citizens part
In the few moments | shall engage
your attention ! shall content myself to
deal with that short stretch of time be
tween April 6, 1917. the date Of our en-
trance into the war, and the present.
Status Of Army on Entrance Into War
AT the close Of President Roosevelt
administration, in 1909, there We're all
told only 207.067 officers and men in the
army of the United States.
At the close of President Tafts ad-
ministration In 1913 there were in all
branches of the army service only 2ll,'
964 officers and men.
At the close of President Wilson'S adj
ministration in 1917 there We're in all
branches of the army service $4,000 of.
ficers and men.
On August -, 1913. after seventeen
months of war, we have an army of =
jS7 ,393 officers and men, one million and
a half of whom are now in France up.
holding the honor of the nation giving
good account of themselves and max.
ing u grateful nation proud of their
hourly and daily achievements
The last eight or ten months have
been weird months to me, and must
have been to the American people. Each
day We have read how, with renewed
fury and renewed Vigor the German
army was driving the allies back little
closer TO Paris. How proud we have
been to read in the papers of the last
few weeks that, instead of constantly
bending the line back toward Paris, by
the aid of our brave boys the allies
have been bending the Hindenburg line
back toward Berlin
\ Comparison of Army Appropriations
During the last four years of the
Roosevelt administration the total ap.
propriations for the army OF the United
States were $425,SOl.57525.
During the four years of President
Tafts administration covering the years
from 1909 to 1913, the total amount ap-
propriated for the army of the United
states was $iiZOob, ,4bJ.6J.
During the first four years Of Presi-
dents Wilson's administration. covering
the years from 1913 to 1917, the total
amount appropriated for the army was
S9S9, ,413,5SS.69.
Thus it will be observed that during
the first Wilson administration, while
the nation was at peace and prior to our
entrance into the war with Germany,
the total appropriations for the war pre-
paredness exceeded, by more than a
hundred million dollars the total amount
appropriated by both the Taft and
Roosevelt administrations next preced-
ing.
We had the Mexican trouble during
Wilson'S first administration. During
those four years there was appropriated
more than $l00,O0O,000 more for pre-
paredness than the two preceding Taft
and Roosevelt administrations combined.
do not mention these figures in any in
vidious sense but they do quite well ]
think disclose that our opponents do not
have a complete monopoly ON vision
and military preparedness.
on April G. 1917. the total number
of officers in al branches of the army |
service was S,GS4. Today there are 49,
or.
On April 6. 1917. the total number of
forts, cantonments. training camps, and .
arsenals in the United States was 2j7. |
Today we have 419
Achievements of the Medical
Department.
Medical science has in all things kept |
abreast of the times. Eighty.one per
cen of the men wounded in action are,
by the aid of the medical department,
the Red Cross, the Y. NJ. c. A, and the
other patriotic institutions, mended up,
restored to health, and returned to ac-
ton for combatant service.
Only IA per cent of the men wounded
in action are discharged as unfit for
further military service. They, by the
aid of modern science, are made whole
again and returned to the civil pursuits
of life. Only per cent OF the men
wounded in action die of the wound re-
reived.
Congressman Thompson, also of Ok
here interrupted Mr.. Ferris TO
say:
| have just returned from across the
sea, and Major Perkins who is commits
sioner of the Red Cross in Europe, told
our party that they had now reduced
The figures until only , per cent of the
injured died About 50 per cent recov.
cred entirely and were able to go back
nto the trenches. and only about - per
cent We're permanently and seriously in
iured In such a manner as to become
what is commonly called salvage.
To me this stands out boldly as a
rue compliment TO the medical profes
sion and to the brave and faithful
yonen of the Red Cross, who are each
lay undergoing the hardshps at the
ront, ready to do and to die for the
oldiers of democracy. To me this
stands as a monument to medical sci
nee. as a comfort and solace to the
Mothers and fathers of the land who
lave given these boys to this patriotic
ervice
During the Spanish-American war. in
S9S, the death rate in the training
amps reached the enormous percentage
4 2014 men out of every 1000. The
cath rate at the present time in camps {
as been reduced by proper medical at
ention, proper sanitation, proper nurs- !
ng. and the application of modern
Methods. to 7.5 men out of every 1000.
At the date of our entrance Ito the q
iar we had only seven army hospitals
With a bed capacity OF 5000 men To J
ay we have G3 army hospitals with a
ed capacity of 10000. with sufficient 9