The Washington herald., 1918-07-03
Military Information for the Enemy.

lhe Kaiser Will be interested in little emana-
tion from the White House yesterday
So will his subjects, if they are allowed to get
the news undoctored-which of course, they will
not be. But they will learn it soon enough. for
news of this sort will travel around the earth and
back again; it simply cannot be suppressed
We refer to the letter that Secretary OF War
Baker sent to the President telling him that
100000 IAmerican troops either were in France
or on their way there; that $4,000 American SOL
diers left these shores during the month of june
alone, which is more than twice the number that
embarked in April, when only I17.ooo sailed, and
more than four times many as were sent across
the Atlantic last February.
Suppose this remarkable transport record is
maintained-not to say exceeded, which it we'll
may be- The United States, on the basis of trans
porting nearly 100000 troops per month, will have
more than 100000 overseas by September l. and
nearly 100000 by the time October is reached
In other words, the prospect of ending the war
in 1919 by means of the gigantic new American
army is more than a dream, for 100000 of
our troops, and more, will be in the field by next
spring. This is a minimum figure. 1t is based
only upon the maintenance of the present rate of
transport. 1t makes no account of the coming
huge accretions to shipping resources, of which
the launching of more than 100 cargo carriers to-
morrow is hint and promise. 1t assumes that
America is already in its fullest and strongest
stride, which it is not
THE War Department is more than six months
ahead of its program" says Secretary Baker.
Ludendorff apparently knocked our lesurey pro-
gram sky-high. And, indeed, why should we not
hustle? Why the original program meas
Ured and deliberate, in view of what have shown
the world it possible for US to do when the
most imperative call that ever came to this
tion dispatched over the Atlantic by allies?
We have done what the German high command
though was impossible. Indeed the German high
command was not alone in this opinion Many
American military men, year ago, scoffed at the
idea that would have more than small force
in the field within twelvemonth. They declared
shipping difficulties alone were sufficient to block
any hope that could throw any real weight into
the war in much less than two years. And the
Germans confident that the submarines would
dispose Of America with neatness and dispatch.
Yet the figures show that the U-boats have been
unable affect American troop movements in the
slightest. The U-boat furry off the Atlantic coast
early last month. Yet it was during this
period that transports were breaking all
records
The war machine which we have been fashion
-iHg-surey. when finish with it, when have
developed its real proportions. we will have the
greatest engine of destruction that organized brain
and Drawn put together. In brief time we
win have more than 100000 men under arms.
When the next spring rolls around the War De-
partment program, calling for army of 4,I25,ooo
mon, OF which 100000 shall be combatant troops,
will be fairly well developed By that time, also,
will have the shipping to transport our military
units fast our forces overseas can absorb
them; ordnance program will be ascending the
curve rapidly; our war strength will be tremen-
dous as to make the United States the greatest
military power the world has ever seen.