The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-12-19

armlstice, which may precede peace,
1t is not permissible to hint at the
vast stores of munitions and armament
taken over and held in readiness.
The Associated Press, however, is al
lowed TO give approximate figures
showing what has been accomplished
in the accumulation Of food supplies.
1t will be seen that the American ex-
peditionary forces were in no danger
of being placed on short rations, had
the war continued, although the Amer
icans had promised the allies vast
quantities of food, in addition to their
own needs.
3e0,0oo,oo0 Rations of Beans.
In army terms, n ration represents
the quantity of each article each man
is entitled to daily. 1t is interesting
10 note the supply of some of the
principal ration components on hand
today. For instance, the Americans
have 100000, 900 rations of beans
alone, 1S3,0O0,OOO rations of flour and
flour substitutes, 267, 100000 rations of
milk, 161,000,0O0 rations of sugar, &c.
100000 rations of meat, 81, 600 ra-
tons Of rice, hominy and other foods.
There are requisites such as 1avorings,
fruits, candy and potatoes in proper
ton, while for smokers, there are 761,-
100000 rations of cigarettes and tobac-
co in other forms.
Army authorities point out that
these vast necessary supplies for the
army represent food economies on the
part of the people at home. Without
such economies, the work would have
been virtually impossible, nor would
the Americans have been able to prom
Use certain of the allies great assist
ance in meeting their requirements
during the winter. The Associated
Press is informed that the American
army had engaged to give the French
100000 pounds of meat, 100000
pounds Of beans and rice flour, and
milk in proportion. To the British
100000 pounds Of meat were prom
Used, while the Belgians were assured
that they would receive 100000
pounds of rations of all kinds.
Build Steamer Berths.
1t is difficult to describe in exact
figures what the American expedition
airy forces have done in the conStruc-
ton and improvement of dockage and
warehouses since the first troops land
ed. This work has been proportionate
to the whole effort in other directions.
Ten steamer berths have been built
at Bordeaux, having a total length of
400 feet. AT Monitor, near st. Naz-
aire, eight berths are under construc-
ton, with a total length Of over $500
feet. These, however, do not indicate
the magnitude of the effort of the en-
gineer corps.
LII this phase of Improvement to
French ports great labor has been ex-
pended in dredging operations, repair
ing French docks and increasing rail
way terminal facilities. Warehouses
having an aggregate floor area of al
most 23,O00,000 square feet have been
constructed. This development of
French ports increased facilities to
such an extent that even If the Ger
mans had captured Calais and other
channel ports, as they had planned, the
allies loss would have been strategy
cally unimportant.
So largely were facilities increased
that the English armies could have
had their bases at the lower French
ports, if necessary. In other words
American work in port construction
lessened to a material degree the value
to the Germans of their proposed cap
ture of the channel ports. These fig
ures serve in a measure to show the
magnitude of American accomplish
ments and the great machine is in OPP
Grafton today as the American third
army moves forward into German ter
ritory.
During the second stage of the Ar
gonne operation a captured German
major, while in casual conversation
with an American officer, said: "We
know defeat is inevitable. We know
your first and second armies are OPP
Grating and that your third army is
nearly ready to function. We know
there are more and more armies to fol-
low. We can measure your effort. The
end must come soon."