Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-28
MORE MEN NEEDED
ON FRENCH FRONT
TO INCREASE DRAFT
President Calls Italian Am
bassadOr and Swed ms
Minister for Conference.
ORDER SENT OUT TO COMB
SEAS FOR TRANSPORTATION
Italy Informed Food Shipments
Are to Be Restricted to
Send Troops.
WANT BOATS OF SWEDEN
Believed 100, 900 Tons Can BE OBJ
taincd From Latter in Exchange
for Needed Supplies.

WASHINGTON. April 2,.-prcs!dent
wilson has received strong intimations
from Great Britain within tho last
forty-ciSht hours that tho suggested
addition OF $1,000 20 the existing
American army Of 1000 0oO viii not
meet the demands for mon In Frante
This means that the schedule Of in
crcascs worked out by TIC War Do
partment will he further cxpa ndcd II
ships TO transport tho soldiers can be
obtained, The President IS giving tho
matter his personal attention. and !n-
stead OF rescnt:nE the plain talk" from
abroad. today sent out u u"w order
TO comb tho seas for ocean ,ranspor-
tation.
Ambassador al cclicrc. of Italy. and
Minister ccken@rcn, Of Sweden. were
called TO the State Deuar,!nent am!
consulted about the situation. Tho
Italian ambas -ndor is Understood TO
have hccn urged to make Representa-
ton Ia his government for the release
OF largo fleet Of steamships now prac-
tically idle
IL was also made clear that further
restrictions on trade between Italy and
the United Stltns must he arranged
In order 10 hivcrt tonnage required
for tho troop service. Statistics have
been obtained by tho War Trade Board
TO show that considerable quantity
or tho wheat exported from America to
Italy has returned here in the form
OF spagh"tti
Tn" greater part cf tho Italian rncr-
chant marine is owned by tho savings
banks, with the approval Of tho gov
ornmcnt Because the loss of til" shins
would jccpardize the banks and saw
tngs OF = great number OF Italian pco-
pic the majority of the chips have
been permitted TO follow trading routes
far removed from the danger zonos
PRESIDENT rurS MATTER
>QtAHELI 'r0 MINISTER
Many Of them have remained ut an
chor for tho last three yoars
Tho United states proposes 20 get
tn" haucnt OF this tonnage ana is sa,c
Ia hav" put the matter sQuarcly ~ TO
the italian government. Minister Cct-
cucrcn was asked to urge every means
of speeding mp the existing: negotiations
with sweden for "a ,crtair number OF
ships from Jha, country. sweden had
received - number of concessions from
the United States and must have Ger
tain supplies from this country 1t
is believed this leverage viii he " ed
II necessary tntSct the ships.
Very recently the Norwegian co~.
crnment. by voluntary agreement. re-
linluished 10 the United States approx
imatoly 100000 tons OF shipping.
Sweden il said Ia be in a position 10
make Il similar 'rangcmcTt II certain
German Influences can he ovcrcomr.
NORWEGIAN SHIPS AnE
tiS0 AVAILABLE 70 4 :.
The Norwegian chips now in tic SER
vice OF 'hc allies. plus tho Dutch N"s-
sells recently seized hy The Crit"d
states, aggregate l.oO60O tons. Aid
cd TO this. recent agreements hGv"
made available twcnty-thrcc Japanese
ships OF iiGot0 tons: seven Russian
ships OF io,oo0 IONS. and sixtv-nine
French sailing vessels for trade out
side of the war zone
Two Austrian vessels were seized ~
China. two in Siam ana two in Brazil,
which add another 2i.oOo tons to The
total.