Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-12
AMERICAN WARSHiP PROGRAM
sPEEDED UP TO OVERCOME
NEW GERMAN STRENGTH.
MAKES HUN SEA FORCE
GREATER THAN OURS
Exact Proportion Of Not Known But
Kaiser Is Believed to Control Large
Percentage Of Russian Navy-Ger.
many Building New Cruisers - Vast
Military Stores Also Fall Into Hands
Of Huns.
ARTHUR Sears Henning in Chicago
Tribune.1

i IArthur Sears Henning in Chicago
4 Washington. July 1.-THE suspicion
that Germany has annexed the Russian
navy. which would make the aggre-
gate strength of the German navy 20
per cent greater than that of the Amer
lean navy, Is causing considerable un-
easiness at the navy department
This disclosure Eliminates WILDLY
| the cost of the Russian fiasco to the
United States and its allies and the
possibilities of German ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
at the expense OF Russia, the realiza-
ton of which the plan OF allied inter-
vention is designed to arrest.
| American and allied naval intelii-
gence officers have been endeavoring
for months to ascertain just what pro-
portion OF the Russian fleet is now I'M
der German controN Because conflict
| ing reports have been received from
reliable naval sources as to the sea
power of Russia. American naval Of
ficers expressed the belief that Ger
many controls a large portion of the
original Russian fleet.
Believe Some Vessels Sunk.
Information on the strength Of the
department indicates that some Of the
| vessels were sunk by their own crews
to prevent the ships from falling into
the hands of the Germans but moth
ing positively supporting this intima-
ton has been received. On the other
hand, the navy department has def
1 nil inf OF
destroyers and twenty submarines and
seven or eight dreadnaughts are in the
| Black sea- where presumably they are
at the disposal Of the Germans.
Information on the streS6th of the
Baltic fleet Is not so positive. although
the navy department has knowledge
OF the fact that four super dread
naughts of $4,000 tons capacity were on
the ways there Immediately following
the Russo-Japanese war. Four battle
cruisers also were known to have been
in commission under the Russian flag
| in these waters
Germany Building Cruisers.
OF Germany's building program the
! navy also has indefinite information
1t was said at the department today
| that Sir Eric Geddes' estimate Of the
| success OF the allied feet against sub
marines could be accepted as most
| conservative statement of the sinkings,
| but no information has been received
! here or by the allies that would permit
the entente naval powers to estimate
accurately the strength of the German
underwater vessels
1t was said the reports Oh Germany's
building operations indicated that
| steady work OF constructing battle
cruisers Is going on in enemy shipyards
but the information on submarine
building was such that no reliable es-
innate could be ventured The re-
ports vary from three submarines con-
structed each month TO five week
The latter figure. of course. is not ac-
| cepted by the navy as within the range
of possibilities.
| Speed Up U. s. Program.
| Naval authorities freely admit that
it is possible for the German Russian
fleet in the Baltic to penetrate the Cat
tegat and enter the North sea, and
while brushes are continually occurring
between the allied fleet and the enemy,
the allies have not yet been able to
assume the offensive and endeaver to
go into the Baltic after the enemy.
! The recent announcement by Secre-
tary Daniels that immediate efforts
were to be made to speed up the COM
pletion of the three year naval pro-
gram authorized by congress was oc-
casioned. navy officials assert. by the
possibility of Germany's utilization OF
the additional strength of the Russian
feet.
I'VE are merely following the wishes
of congress in taking steps to bring
/ into operation the naval strength out
lined by congressional appropriation, "
/ a naval officer said.
| May Draw on Man Power.
I The navy constitutes only one Of the
numerous resources for the conduct OF
war that Germany is absorbing in
Russia. Vast military stores OF every
description have been taken over by
the Germans. who are now engaged in
reviying the production Of raw mater
ials and manufactures thruout the
Russian territory they hold. Eventu-
ally Germany contemplates drawing
upon the man power Of Russia to re-
inforce depleted strength In the war
zone il not on the firing line itself.
How to arrest this absorption OF
Russia by the Germans is the great
problem confronting the allies now en-
deavoring to formulate a plan Of in
Prevention to expel the Hun from the
Muscovite republic.
Fortunately for the allies. who never
have been able to agree upon con-
certed scheme of Intervention, events
in Russia appear to be paving the way
for the desired result. The boIsheviki
are losing strength and those elements
Of the population openly antagoistic to
Germany are gaining in popularity.
May Recognize New RepubIicS.
Governments independent OF bolshe-
vike rule have been proclaimed at
Vladiyostok and at Kola. and II these
/ governments show stability 1t is prob
able that they will be recognized by
the United States and the allies. It il
expected that these anti German gov
lernments will make formal appeals to
the allies for assistance and in response
military Intervention in Russia will
materialize.
Urge Bastije Day Observance.