The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-11-29

Press is now permitted to make pub
lie. While the stupcndous figures re
quired to tell the story are in them
selves amazing, it should be remem
bered that they show only part Of
the great effort made in war prepare.
tons in men, money and material.
ION the morning of Nov. IL the
United States had in France 1881
officers and 1,8S1,376 men, total OF
almost 100000. AS has already
been announced, there were 75G,O0e
combat troops in the Argonne action
This number does not include the
American units engaged in other parts
Of the front.
Man-power alone. however, was one
Of the factors in the securing Ameri-
can participation in the war. Behind
it lay vast machinery which was re-
quircd in actions. Railway and motor
roads were constructed and across the
sea were brought locomotives, cars,
rails and motor transport of every
kind
Immense Rail Work
Behind this were clothing and gen.
eral supplies for the men, as well as
dockage and warehouse construction.
Every effort of civil life, plus the re-
duirements of war, was eXerted. The
American army has brought over to
France and has in operation 967
standard gauge locomotives, and 49,
ia standard gauge freight care of
American manufacture. In addition,
it has in service $50 locomotives and
973 cars of foreign origin. To meet
demands which the existing French
railways were unable to meet, 843
miles of standard gauge railway were
constructed. Five hundred miles of
this have been built since June l. On
top of this the Department Of Light
Railways reports the construction of
115 miles of road and l40 miles of
German light railways were repaired
and put in operation. 225 miles of
French railroad were operated by the
Americans.
These figures represent fairly
good-sized American railway COM
pany, but railways present only a few
fractions of the troop effort.
Modern warfare is motor warfare,
and it is virtually impossible to pre-
sent in figures this phase of the work
of the American army. In building
new roads as the exigencies of bat
tie operations required, in keeping
French roads repaired under the
ceaseless tide of war transport, and
in constructing bridges in devastated
battle regions, American engineers
worked day and night. The whole re-
gion behind the American lines is full
of typical American road machinery,
much Of it of character never before
seen in Europe. To do this work, the
American Expeditionary Forces had
in operation November II more than
$1,000 motor vehicles Of all descrip-
tons.
. Vast Munitions Stores
Even at the present time it is not
permissible to hint at the vast stores
of munitions and armament brought
over and held in readiness. The AS
ISOLATED Press, however, is allowed to
give approximate figures, showing
what has been accepted in the accu-
of food supplies. 1t will be
seen that the American Expedition
airy Forces were in no danger of be-
ing placed on short rations, had the
war continued, although the Ameri-
cans had promised the Allies vast |
quantities Of food.
In any terms, one ration represents
he quantity of each article each man
IS entitled to daily. 1t is interesting |
TO note the supply of some of the |
principal ration components on hand
today. For instance, the Americans
have 390,000,000 rations vi beans !
alone, 1s3,oQ0,000 rations Of -four and |
-four substitutes, 267,000,000 rations
IF milk, 16l 100000 rations of butter
,r substitutes, 143,000,0O0 rations of |
sugar, 100000 rations of meat, ST.
400, 900 rations of coffee and 1l3,000,-
700 rations of rice, hominy and other
foods. There are requisites such as |
aavorings, fruits, candies and pota-
,oes in proportion, while for smokers
here are 761 100000 rations of cigar
,ttes and tobacco in other forms. Ar
ny authorities point out that these
FAST necessary supplies for the army
'epresent food economies on the part
If the people at home. Without such
the work would have been
impossible, nor would the
Americans have been able to promise
certain of the Allies great assistance
n meeting their requirements during
he winter.
Promised Allies Food
The Associated Press is informed
hat the American Army had engaged
% give the French 100000 pounds
If meat, 100000 pounds of beans
ind rice -four, and milk in proportion.
TO the British 100000 pounds of
neat were promised, while the Bel
yians were assured that they would
'eceive 4,500.000 pounds of rations of
IL kinds.
1t is difficult to describe in exact |
igures what the American Expedi-
ionary Forces have done in the con-
truction and improvement of dock
lge and warehouses since the first |
roops landed. This work has been
to the whole effort in
heir direction. Thirteen steamers
we're built in Bordeaux, having total
ength of 400 feet. At Montooi,
lear St. Nazaire, eight berths are I'M
Ter construction, with a total length
o,,a,. Q mn foot