New-York tribune., 1918-01-17
Senator Gloomy as He
Pleads for Speed in Ship
building Plans
Must Feed Our Allies
Send No More Troops, He
Urges, Until This Has Been
Accomplished

WASHINGTON. Jan. 16.-Senator
McCumbcr, of North Dakota, to-day
gave the Senate a gloomy picture Of the
position CT the United States and her
allies in emphasizing his plea for radi-
cal speeding up Of tho shipbuildinc
programme. He declared England was
now bearing the brunt of the war and
asked: GLOW long can she stand this
strain?" The United States must send
100000 troops to balance the man
power of the Central Powers, he said.
and 100000 would be needed to make
the Germans retreat.
Russia and Rumana are out of the
war;" asserted Senator McCumber.
Italy is losing ground. France is un-
able to make any Roadway. The wall
of opposition at the Eastern end Of
the battle line n continental Europc
is crumbling.
Possibilities of the Future
"Who can say how long Italy can or
will withstand the Teutonic pressure?
Optimistic, indeed, must be the man
who will say a single year without ad-
dltional support. With Italy under the
heel of the conqueror, with France as
sailed in the flank, who can prophcsy
that that country will not quickly be
brought under the heel Of the same
conqueror and Englands army left to
battle against overwhelming numbers?
"This is delineatng two things: first.
the exact situation as it now is, and
second. the possibilities of the future,
and it is presented with the hope that
we will at least partially awaken to q
realization Of what is before us"
Senator McCumber said the idea that
pointing out our weakness discouraged
the American people and encouraged
the enemy was a mistaken one, and de-
clared that eve must now learn the
lesson that boastng will not win this
war" He said he was tired of hear
ing the argument that Germany would
be reduced to submission by stalva-
tion and stated that the Central Pow
tory in Europe as does the Allies. The
balance of resources held by this coun-
try. he said, should not be considered
until there was tonnage to carry men
and products across the seas.
Says We Have Neglected Duty
When the United States entered the
war the Allies cried "Give US ships"
declared Senator McCumber. eve al
Iayed their fears; we assured them we
would supply that shipping. We took
that duty upon ourselves. And we
have neglected that duty beyond any
other, sh%mefully neglected it. We
appointed Kilkenny Shipping Board
and then went to sleep.
We know we must supply Great
Britain and France and Italy. We
know we shall require 100000 men in
France before we can ever hope to
equalizc the forces of the powers
pitted against each other. Where is
our shipping? Where is it coming
from? Possibly God knows; certainly
reither the shipping board nor the
Navy Department knows"
Senator McCumber recommended
that the United States stop sending
soldiers to France now and use ali
available tonnage for food for the
Ailles, stimulate efforts to attempt to
produce a ship immune to torpedo at
tack and to make full and adequate
test of reinforced concrete vessels. lie
said he believed the Allies would
emerge from the war after securing
the peace laid down by President wiz
son, but was equally "certain that un-
less we come to the support of our
allies with shipping facilities manv
times greater than we propose, some
of our allies will fall before we can
take their place on the battlefield"