New-York tribune., 1918-02-09
The NesU York Tribune

Archibald Hurd, naval critic Of "The
Daily Telegraph" of London, warns
the English people not to be too san
guine over what America can accom-
plish this year. TO count too much on
America, he says, will mean disappoint-
ment for the Allies, and, because Of
that disappointment, injustice to Amer
ica He bases his warning on the in
vestigation by the Senate Committee
on Military Affairs, and his conclusion
is that the facts as developed do not
Justify the optimistic statements by
the executive branch of the American
government. He says:
"When the history of this war comes
the splendid spirit in which the Ameri-
can people threw themselves into a
struggle being waged at distar ,e of
from 5000 to 5000 miles from their
homes. Americans are rising to the
full height of the standard President
Wilson set them in his war address to
Congress on April of last year. What
has America done, and what is she
doing?
Widespread Misconception
"Those are questions Of Importance,
because there is widespread miscon-
cepton as to the character and ex-
tent Of the aid which the Americans
are rendering now and will render in
the immediate future Most people
think of the United States in terms of
soldiers and ships-ships of war and
which is already being given in the
purely economic field. The Treasury
has been practically thrown open to
the Allies, which have received hun
dreds of millions sterling from Wash
'ngton. Under the farsighted admin
istration of Mr.. Hoover, who distin-
guished himself in connection with the
Belgian relief, the American popula-
tion is submitting to economies in
order that more food may be available
for use in Europe.
I'm those respects the United States
Is performing miracles. The Ameri-
cans have also made an indirect con-
trbution to the Allies food supplies
by communicating enemy tonnage and
dlspatching destroyers for duty in
European waters, in particular to es-
cort food ships. The Importance Of
that aid will be realized more fully
when the war is over and it's secrets
can be revealed
Difficulties Confronting U. S.
what shall be said Of Americas aid
in the matter of troops and merchant
ships? In those respects the outlook
is not SO cheerful, as is admitted on the
other side of the Atlantic 1t is true
that considerable force is in France
already and q large army is in training
altogether about 100000 men.
when the United States interyened
she possessed far smaller regular
army than we had in 1914. She had no
reserves of any size, and there was no
Territorial Force such as saved the
htii'e"iS HleuaoioH Ill our case, ana Sno
had no Officers Training Corps. Those
candid statements enable us to appre-
ciate the real worth of the American
military effort
Under the pressure of war the men
have peen obtained. But can they be
equipped? In his recent speech Mr..
Winston Churchill made an arresting
statement in that connection. He de-
clared that by drawing on our re-
sources in manner that would be JUS
tilted to secure so great a prize, we
have enough (munitions) in hand to
equip several hundred thousand Amer
leans to the last detail in military out
tit, if it We're possible by any shipping
arrangements to bring them to the seat
Of war;
"That is, in fact, what we shall have
to do owing to the failure of American
policy in that respect, and gladly we
shall do it.
Points to Senate Inquiry
"The Senate has recently been hold
ing an investigation into the work of
the Ordnance Bureau of the Army and
the official admissions published on
the other side of the Atlantic should
be known here, in order that we NAV
follow intelligently the future course
Of events.
"The following is summary of the
evidence:
"(a) The Ordnance Department
quantities. Consequently the Ord
nance Bureau will have none ready
before next April
The Rifle Delay
(f) After adopting the Enfield rife.
for the manufacture of which in
large quantities American factories
were we'll equipped, as they had
turned out several thousand ,,av
for the Brtish army, the department
incurred many months delav bv do.