The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-21
BIC
EFFORT IN WAR
IS STUPENDOUS

GNNFtNEI NOV Il. tby tnt AshOclatet
Press 1.-THE extent OF Americas mill
tary effort In France at the time the
armistles was declared, is shown by
statistics which the Associated Press
now IL permitted TO make public. While
the st~upendous figures are in them
selves amazing, they show only a part
Of the great effort made in war prep
a~rRtions.
On the morning Of Nov. II the United
States had in France 1891 officers
= llssl ,S76 men, a total Of almost
1000, 900, As has already been an
nouneed, there were $50, 900 combat
troops in the Argonne forest. This
number does not include the American
units engaged on other parts OF the
Man power. alone, however, was only
one factor In the preparations for
American participation In the war. Be-
hind 1t lay vast machinery which was
required in operations. Railways and
motor roads were constructed, and
across the yea was brought locomo-
tiyes, cars, rails and motor transport
q every kind. Behind this again was
the requisite food, clothing and gen
sral supplies for the men, as well as
doekage and warehouse construction.
The American army has brought over
70 FRANCE n has In operation 967
standard gauge locomotives and 1914
standard gauge freight cars Of Ameri-
can manufacture, In addition It has
= service $50 locomotives and ,s1S cars
Or foreign origin. Eight hundred and
forty-three miles Of standard gauge
railway were constructed, 500 miles OF
I since June /. In addition there was
bullt llb miles Of light railways, and
lO miles Of German light railways
we're repaired and put In operation,
Two hundred and twenty five miles OF
French railway were operated by the
Americans,
These figures represent a fairly good
sized American railway company, but
railways represent only a fraction OF
the transport efforts. Modern warfare
y motor warfare, and 1t 10 virtually
Impossible to present in figures this
phase OF the work Of the American
army. In building new roads, in keep
ing French roads repaired and in con-
worked day and night. To do this
forces had in operation on Nov, ii
more than $4,000 motor vehicles.
Even at the present stage Of the
armistice. which may preeede peace,
II Is not permissible to hint at the vast
stores of munitions and armament
Associated Press, however, Is allowed
what has been accomplished in the ac1
emulation OF food supplies.
In army terms one ration represents
the quantity Of each article each man
Is entitled to daily. 1t IL interesting
70 note the supply Of some Of the prin-
ciipal ration components on hand today.
For instance, the Americans have $780,
100000 %rations Of beans alone, 1888, OOO,- =
900 ratlons OF flour and flour substi-
tutest 267, 600, 900 rations OF milk; 1871
100000 rations OF butter or substitutes:
$4,000, 0O0. ratlons of sugar; 50, 600, 900
%ratlons Of meat; 81, 200, 900 rations OF
coffee and lis, 900, 900 %rations OF rice,
requisites such as flayorings, fruits,
candy and potatoes In preparation,
while for smokers there are ISL, 900, 900
forms.
Army authorities point out that these
vast necessary supplies for the army
represent food economies on. the part
OF the people at home, Without such
economies the work would have been
virtually impossible, nor would the
Americans have been able TO promise
certain OF the allies greater assistance
\ meeting their requirements during
the winter, The Associated Press Il
informed that the American army had
engaged 20 give the French 1000, 900
lNN'@S W tlNMAs UtUNVt uVV D0UTuS OF
beans and rice flour and milk in pro-
portion, To the British 5000, 900 pounds
OF meat were promised, while the BEL
EiAns were assured they would receive
10000 600 pounds OF rations OF all kinds,
II IL difficult TO describe in exact
figures what the American expedition.
airy forces have done in the construo-
ton and improvements of dockaEe and
warehouses since the first troops land
%. Ter. steamer berths have been built
az Bordeaux. having q total length OF
4,l0O feet At Monitor, near ST. Ma
zaire, eight berths are under %construc-
tionn, with a total length Of over 5000
These, however, do not indicate the
magnitude OF the effort OF the engineer
corps. In this phase OF Improvement
70 French ports to French ports great
labor has been expended in dredging
operations, repairing French docks and
Increasing railway terminal facilities
warehouses having an aggregate floor
area OF almost 20, 000, 900 square feet
have beer, constructed. This develop.
ment OF French ports increased taciii-
YES 70 such an extent that even 4
the Germans had captured Calais and
planned, the allied loss would havs
been atrategically u%nimportant, N
10 largely were facilities Increased
that tne English armies could have had
their bases at the lower French norris
II necessary, In other words, Ameri..
can work In port construction lessened
70 a material degree the value TO The
Uermans OF their proposed capture ~
the channel ports, These figures serve
IN q measure to show the magnitude Of
american accomplishment and the
great machine is in operation today az
me American Third army moves for.
ward into German territory.