South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-05-09

It was learned today that Secy
Of War Baker was characteristically
conservative IN his announcement
last night that his forecast Of half
a million" promised the senate mill
tary affairs committee in January 10
be over there" early this year hal
been made good. Figures cannot be
dealt with except in round num-
hers. but IL can be said today on au-
thority that cannot be questioned.
that by the time 1918 is half over
July I to be exact-the American
land forces across the Atlantic viii
exceed one million men.
Has Germany Scared.
The troop movements of the last
three months. and which will con-
tinue indefinitely. provide a chapter
of military efficiency which will
thrill all Americans when the de-
tails can be published. The great
fleet of fast transports created by
the army and navy and added TO by
France. Great Britain and Japan,
has met the great problem of the
war. how 10 utilize the man power
Of the United States. Germany
knows this. This is the secret of the
stupepdous German efforts on the
western front They fear the Amer
lean man power which Will turn the
scales through sheer weight of
numbers and they have tried and
continue to try. TO force the decision
before the million Americans reach
the front This now will be impossi-
BILE. army experts say
The greatest single factor in the
troop movements has been Mai.
Gen. George W. Goethals. His re-
organization Of the quartermasters
department went 10 every branch.
In consequence. the movements OF
men and supplies goes forward i'm
the easiest possible manner. Not
alone do men travel overseas on the
fast transports but every supply yes
sci leaving an Atlantic port carries
its quota of soldiers destined for a
British or a French port.
COOperates with Navy.
Gen Goethals is cooperating in
every way witE the navy and this
makes possible the convoy system
which is defeating the submarine
only her largest type Of sea -goins
submarines and they are able only
TO get slow cargo carriers. The huge
squadrons OF destrovers that CON
vov supply ships and transports arc
doing wonderful work i'm combating
the German underseas craft. The
British and American destroyers and
submarine Chasers probably ac,
counted for 20 submarines durin1
March and April Eleven are pos
itivelv known 20 have been destroy
ed. confidential reports reaching en-.
fente sources say. More than eight
others we're attacked and there j.
n1entv OF evidence that they Were
sunk but because positive evidenc'
was impossible To secure they were
carried simply as probably de
stroved" and by the latter part o
this year the coastal protection sys
tenn now being carried out will have
teen so extended 10 the coasts o
Britain. France and Italy that sub
marine pirates will have co operat,
40 far from their bases that thet
efficiency will be almost entirely
destroyed
Heavy Guns in service.
Announcement in last nights dis
matches that American heavy artil
Ierv was fired for the first time ID
the sector northwest Of Toul
far more significant than appears oi
he surface Details - tne caihr'
Of these guns and in fact all Of tn
facts about them must be withheld
FOR the present. But army ordnanc
ofHcers who know what is COINS OF
saw these guns are the latest i'm thei
line and thar they outclass the fam
ous Austrian Skeda guns which tn
Germans have brought 20 blast tn
uav through 10 the coast and .
paris. And ln the line Of aruller
surprises Uncle sam is just now be
Ginning 20 play his cards. officer
mo know declare. They say tha
when an announcement is made
and the first word very likely VII
come via BerB1-American stee
again will have demonstrated II
superiority.