The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-02-16
Sinking of Transport TusCania
Inspires Nation to Carry War
On to Victory.
LADS FACED DEATH BRAVELY
America Ready With New Methods to
Combat the ubmarines-Russian
BolsheViki Fighting All Their
Neighbors-President VIII
son Asks Further
Powers.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.

The United States sustained its first
severe blow in the war on Wednesday,
when the transport Tuscania, carrying
American troops to Europe, was tor
pedoed off the north Irish coast and
sank in two hours. At the time Of
writing the number Of missing, pre-
sumably dead, is 101. Of these 81 were
American officers and enlisted men,
the others being members Of the Brit
ish crew. That the losses were so
small was due to the excellent work
of the conveying vessels and the time
the Tuscania remained afoat.
The fact that such disasters as this
were expected in the process of trans
porting hundreds of thousands Of men
to Europe does not lessen the shock
to the nation or mitigate the anguish
of the relatives Of the victims. But
those relatives have the great consola-
ton Of knowing that their boys met
their fate bravely and calmly, as Amer
lean soldiers should, and that they gave
their lives for their country and for
civilization as truly as if they had died
on the field of battle Most Of these
troopers were but partly trained men,
bers Of forestry and other cOntinEeuts
going over to work behind the lines,
but when the first excitement of the
explosion had passed these lads, like
veteran soldiers, lined up on the deck
and sang national airs while they wait
ed their turns in lifebOats.
The sinking of the Ttscania has
served to weld the determination Of
the entire nation to see the war
through to a victorious finish. It also
has brought forth the information that
the American navy, which so far has
been fighting the U-boats with make
shift devices, is now about ready to
put into operation new devices and
methods that, it is confidently believed,
will prove most effective in dealing
with the murderous submarines. The
movement Of troops to the other side
will not be checked in the slightest by
the loss of this one transport. Says
Secretary Of the Navy Daniels: "Just
as fast as our ships can carry men to
Europe they will go, and just as fast
as they are equipped they will be sent,
and ships will carry them and no man
living will ever again see the day when
our goods will be carried across the
Atlantic except in ships flying the flag
of the United States"
"a
For q bunch that is determined to
have peace, the bolsheviki of Russia
are getting plenty of fighting these
days. And according to reports, they
are not getting the best Of it. Under
taking to coerce Finland into a reyolu-
ton like their own in Russia, they and
the Finnish Red guards have been de-
feated in long and bloody battles at
Uleaborg and Tammerfers by the gov
eminent forces commanded by General
Mannerheim, known as the White
guard. UleabOrg was the chief mill
tary depot of the Russians In northern
Finland, and both there and at Tam
merfors the White guard captured con-
siderable stores Of munitions and arms.
So far Sweden. has refused to permit
supplies to be sent across the border
to General Mannerheim, despite the
demands of the Swedish press and peo-
pie.
To the south the bolshevih are fight
ing both the Ukrainians and the Rou-
manians In Besarabia and apparently
getting well whipped. In one fight the
Roumanians captured and disarmed
two entire divisions of Russians. In
western Siberia General Kaledlnes was
said to be working his way toward
Omsk, while farther east another force
Of Cossacks was moving north from