The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-04-07

coming into the struggle, but rap
idly being prepared.
The achievements of the first year
are chiefly divided between the
army, which has been supplying and
training fighting forces; the navy,
which has been hunting the subma-
rine and conveying troops and sup
plies to Europe, the shipping board,
which has been building a merchant
marine, and the treasury, which has
been advancing credits to the al
lies.
In all other departments of the
government there has been tre-
mendous effort to bring all the force
OF the country'S resources and pow
er to the aid of the actual fighting
machine.
For military reasons it is not per-
mlssiblc to state the exact number
OF American troops in France with
General Pershing's expedition, but
Secretary Baker, in recent testimony
before the senate military commit
tee, predicted half million men
would be there early this year and
that another million would be ready
to go during the year.
American troops have taken up
several positions on the fighting line
in France, have occupied sector of
their own northwest of Toul, and
have had numerous encounters with
the Germans. Official statements
from British and erman army head
headquarters have shown that GER
tain American fighting forces were
thrown into the battle brought on
by the great German offensive this
spring, the British war Office first re-
porting them as fighting shoulder to
shoulder with the British and
French troops in the vicinity OF
Royc.
Million and Half.
By referring TO the combined
forces of the regular army and Ma
tional Guard a year ago, and com
pairing the strength of the regular
army now, the National Guard mus
tered into federal service, and the
men Of the first draft in canton
ments, it is apparent that the total
number of ready fighting men has
been increased from meager two
hundred thousand to something like
a million and a half, with about
ten million men registered under
the draft still available for calls to
the colors.
Military experts have estimated
that should the war be prolonged
and 1t become necessary for the
United States to assume the burden
OF carrying on the conflict an army
OF five million men would not be
improbable The immense and sud
den expansion of the army has not
been without criticism, but, it is de-
ciared, this was expected i'll the CON
version into a fighting force Of
nation traditlonally welded to the
pursuits of peace.
The expansion of the naval forces
has been characterized in congress
by many as praiseworthy. The ex-
act details here, too, are Shrouded
in secrecy as a military measure,
but 1t IS well known that an emerg-
ency war building program has been
pushed with such rapidity that the
United States is we'll on the way to
place second only to Great Britain
as naval force, and that in de-
stroyeTS alone-moSt proved and
deadly weapon of the submarine
the navy by next year will have the
greatest fleet on the seven seas.
Since the United States went to
war, the navy has placed contracts
for practically a thousand vessels,
and beside that took charge of re-
pairing the seized German and Aus
trial ships damaged by their crews
at the orders of the German govern
ment.
Hun Got Fooled.
The case of the great liner Water
land, now the United States ship
LeVlathan, is a fair example of the
efficiency and speed with which the
naval engineers conducted that
work. When the Germans finished
their work of destruction the Water
lands commander remarked he
would take his hat off to the Ameri-
cans who could put the ship in
shape in time to be of any service.
Within six months from the time
his words were spoken the Water
land was in running order and since,
the navy department has announced,
has carried numbers of American
troops and great quantities of sup
plies to the fighting lines in France.
by taking the ships and men of
the Coast Guard into its fleets. bv
the merging of naval volunteers and
naval militia, and with the growth
OF the marine corps, the navy has
expanded its forces practically five
times since the country went to war.
In its immense task of conveying
troops there have been some losses,
notably the Tuscania and the An
titles, but the losses of life have been
fortunately small in comparison
with the numbers of troops trans
ported At the same time the
American destroyers, working with
the British in the submarine zone,
have made themselves a terror to
the undersea boats. How many of
these craft they have accounted for
remains military secret.
Third Liberty Loan.