The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-03-18
REORGANIZATION OF FRANCE
PROVES SURPRISE TO BAKER,
SHOWN ABOUT BY PERSHlNG
Pioneer Energy of Race of Pioneers Working Won
dersE IN Western Battle Zone-Engineers
Il. Are Remakine Vast Country

Secretary Baker was slowly drawn
over the trunk and switching lines
during the afternoon A dozen or
more French and American engineers
were in the party, some OF whom were
members of the engineering staff
which constructed the yards, and they
added point now and then to Gen
eral Pershing's explanation.
Dredges are constantly at work
along the water 'front.' and NEARBY
the warehouses Of steel and galvanized
iron are rising along the switching ar.
teries. This development is purely
for American military requirements
and will provide. a rather small port
in France with potentialities equal to
those of Hamburg, as one Of the
French officials said to the cores.
pendent r ST.
The Americans with the object only
Of winning the. war, are 'expending in
this region on permanent works ABOUT
$4v,00O,000. French ports will be ex
panAed as they probably would not
have been for a good many years II
the war was not going on.
" American-6uilt Locomotives.
Secretary Baker watched for some
time in another yard. the assembling
and setting up OF the parts Of AAeri-
can-built locomotives. He saw series
Of them in various stages of complete
ness. One hundred and seventy-two
have been put together thus far, but
1t is intended to send out from these
shops eleven hundred.
Mr.. Baker visited recently wounded
Americans; and talked with them. He
listened to. some personal accounts of
the mems experiences At the end OF
the day, back aboard the train, Cen
eral Pershing, in discussing the secre
tary's visit, said:
II had long urged the secretary to
come to France. Now that he is here
we are delighted that he means to
take the time to master the details Of
our situation, as our chief who car
ries all our military effort at home and
abroad in his mind. He is seeing with
his own eyes what we are doing on
this side, and his visit is a personal
inspirat ton to every officer and man
Baker Is Pleased.
Secretary Baker said to the cores
pandent: a% #
These days have been worth my
trip across the Atlantic in the inform
alton and encouragement which they
have given me. l have seen only the
effort in two ports, only the receiving
depots OF the great war plant which
we are constructing. ! But have seen
enough to convince me that we have
an organization which will meet the
problem, with its increasing volume of
demand, of coupling up the ports OF
embarkation at home with the ports
OF deDarkation in France T..
Il find that the written reports have
given me an inadequate idea Of the
difficulties, which the enemy said we
could not overcome, and which we
are overcoming. After her long and
stOut-hearted defense, France could
spare US little material or. labor for
our purposes, except by all advised
diversions from her own organization.
She could offer us land on which to
raise our structures and the right Of
way for our. Communications.
shonld like to pay tribute to
the men who began last Summer and
tall to bring into being the. blueprints
OF a great conception, which now Is