Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-02-16

LOSSES OF DOCTORS AND NURSES
Every early i'll the war Balfour and
Jofiro said, Send us nurses and doc
tors Almost before We were in tho
war Red Cross nurses and doctors and
ambulance drivers in great numbers
were sent over. Our early losses were
Of there.
But that was not enough. 1t was
suggested further that mechanics
were needed.
especial studies were made.
'"e found that railroads and
other facilities of France had been
kept in excellent condition, far better
than we had thought possible"
But despite the condition OF French
railroads. he said. it was found ncccs
sary to provide transportation facil-
tiles Tor the American army in France
because of the great demands upon
those already there.
"1n other words, Franco was
white sheet Of paper, so far as we
were concerned, and on that we had
not only to write an army, but we had
to write the means Of maintaining
that army, and from the first time
when careful and scientific study
OF the opportunities Of France to
help us were made, from that hour
until this, We have been building in
France, facilities, Instruments, agen
cics. just as many us we are here in
the United States. and moro many
OF them of the same character.
"For instance, the French had mai
urally reserved the best ports in
FRANCO for their own supply. The
Channel ports have been reserved for
the British. When we came in it was
necessary for us to have independent
ports of entry in order that there
might not be confusion and n mixture
OF our supplies. going through these
ports Of decentralization with those
of other nations. We were given spec
ial ports.
HAD TO RECONSTRUCT HARBOR.
AS consequence. the construc---
ton Of docks and wharvcs in ports of
that kind is very much moro difficult
than where you have deep sea har
Dor. We have had to build docks We
have had to faDricatc in this country
and send over dock-handling machin-
cry. We have had to send from this
country even the piles to build the
docks. We have had to have massive
cranes manufactured in this country
and sent over to be erected OH those
docks; we have had to erect over there
warehouses at the ports of embarka
ton.
RAILROAD is TAKEN OVER.
we have had to take over, and
are in process OF rebuilding and am
phtyinr. n Tai'ro.,G 500 niles Iu!.f.
B.. ofUC! /" carr our produces i"u,.l
our ports of Decentralization TO our
general bases OF operation. AID all
OF that, gentlemen, has to be not only
studied out, rs a necessary thing to
DO. but when so studied out and raft
ed here the manufactures FOR those
things have to be carried on in this
country, and the things shipped over
therc-nails, cross ties, spikes, fish
plates, engines, cars buildings.
1--WE have had to build ordnance dc
pots and repair shops and great maya
zines OF supply in the interior. All OF
that problem has been carrying for
single ordnance repair shop which 1
saw some time ago covered acres and
acres of ground. Designed over there
the iron work Fabricated over here
disassembled, put in ships and carri-
Cd abroad to be reassemblcd over
there.
OPERATIONS BEGIN IN FOREST.
eve have had to build barracks
there for our soldiers, and in the
meantime to billet them around in the
French villages.
Building barracks over there and
building them here is very differ
ent thing, gentlemen.
eve have had to go back to the
planting OF the corn in Franco in
order that we might sometime make
a harvest.
"Our operations began in the for
ests OF France, not In tho lumber
yards, as they did in this country"
CHARGED BY RUSSIA AND ITALY
Tho war, Secretary Baker continu-
ed had been OF more or less of "set
character" until the Russian situa-
ton developed. The Italian defeat
caused a further change in plans. AS
a result, what may have been perfect
plans, had to be changed according
ly.
"That is a picture what has been
going on over there" said Mr.. Bak
err. "On this side much of what has
had to be done, anG in addition to it
all the things we have done, and
ask you to remember among the
achievements On this side is the
building Of this army, not of $4,000
or 100000 or 5O0,,000 but of substan
TALLY 100000 men.
NOT EQUALLED IN HISTORY.
"And now, let me DO frank with
you, and let your judgment be frank
with me about this. Has any army in
history, since the beginning of time,
been so raised and cared for as this
NJ hoS9 rof nj ~,