Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1918-02-07

Baker, the United States now has near
ly half million men in France, and a
million and half more who will be
ready to go whenever transportation Is
provided. Which does not accord with
the opinion expressed by certain emi.
nent Boches that the military power Of
America need give Germany no anx.
iety, because no great number of our
troops can be taken over to Europe.
Stimulated, perhaps, blythe successful
attacks Of allied avlators on Mann.
helm and other German cities. the
kaiser's afr forces. made two big raids
on successive nights on London and
southeast England. The bombs
dropped by the first expedition killed
Al persons, mostly women and chill.
dren, and all but one In the metropolis,
and injured n considerable number.
The second bunch Of raiders murdered
only two. .--
For the first time In months Paris
was raided by enemy ayiators. They
attacked the city in considerable nun.
bers and killed 20 persons and wound
ed so. ','- -
Secretary Baker, at his own request,
appearing second time before the
senate committee on military affairs,
made an address that created so excel
lent an impression that much of the
criticism of him and his management
of the war department was sllenced.
He spoke frankly and eloquently, no
longer seeking to cover up the faults
of the bureaus, but asserting that his
critics had made II appear that spe-
citic cases were characteristic of gen.
eral conditions, which was not true,
and that every mistake discovered had
been rectified and none Of them re-
pented. His explanation and defense
of most of the criticized acts of his
department sounded convincing, and
he displayed no III temper or animOs
ity.
The immediate result was an amca
HE conference between Secretar!
Baker and Senator Chamberlain. Tn,
senator assured the secretary the urg
Ing Of the munitions director and wa
cabinet bills was due only to patriots
desire to help win the war and 4
no way was intended to reflect on tn
administration. Mr.. Baker tlnall
agreed to reconsider his objections I
the former measure. hut asked that tn
latter be shelved. II was believed tha
II the position of munitions director
created 1t will he flied by Mr.. Stettil
ius, who already, In the reorganization
has been made surveyor general G
army supplies. His long experlenC
as purchasing agent for the entent
allies seems to tit him peculiarly ia
the place.
The good results Of the senate II
vestlgntlon and of the general crit
clsm directed against some feature
Of the war departments managemer
are apparent daily, and the lmprov,
ment may 20 on until Nll the critic
are satisfied except those who hol
that q profesSed pacitlst Is not the ma
for secretary of war In war time.
M
, Secretary Lansing announced We
, neSday that nm agreement had bee
!, arranged by the United State
: Great Britain and Canada provldlI
that subjects Of ench country In al
of the Others may return home with
sixty days for military service, and
they do not they may be drafted whe
. they are. r
:, The British and Canadian recrultl
:, missions In the United States, und
= the command Of competent and expe
V enced officers who have all done IN,
: bit at the front, have been getting r,
:, sonahly good results In New Yoi
- New England, Chicago, and many o
er sections Of the country, and tn
, will hail with Joy such a pact as
j. planned, for there are thousands
: British subjects In the United Sta
>. who only need to he pushed little
~ :, order to get them into the armed Sc
70 Ice Of their country,
y Ia
- Explosions and fires In plants Il
~ are making war material continue
" be dlsgustlngly frequent, despite
:. efforts Of the secret service to ca
"a ~ the spies and agents responsible.
Of the worst of these occurrences v
- great explosion In the naval torp,
wv w. station at Newport News, Va. Anot
- was n disastrous fire on oil barges {
~ threatened the big government 4
W. W. yard at Port Newark. Federal a.e
" believe many Of these outrnges are
=. work Of pacihsts who call themsel
~