Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-05
100000 TROOPS
IN FRANCE SOON
Transportation Facilities Assured
Says Daniels, Defending
Baker.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 5.


Secretary Daniels last night authorized
the statement that the navy is assured OF
enough transport facilities to make sure
that there will ba 1000 American troops
in France early this year as WAS stated by
Secretary Baker recently before the Senate
Military Affairs Committee.
MIR Daniels made the statement when
informed that Secretary Bakers forecast
of the number of men to be sent abroad had
been challenged in the Senate by Senator
Hitchcock. He would not say whether
the Navy Department S outlook tor ships
was such as to warrant the expectation
Of having 1000 900 more men IN France
by the end of 1913.
> 80 per cent reduction in tho volume
nf imports is one Of the measures under
, consideration by the Administration 10
Z make available ships for transporting
troops 10 France Overseas transporta-
ton is recognized as tie real problem
facing the Govern cnt in its effort Ia put
on the ring line a fighting force and keep
it IN supplies. :,
The United States now has In all
services about four million tons OF ship
ping. of which probably one fourth Is
engaged in bringing in goods heretofore
regarded rs essential 10 the national
industrial life.
SrUr RAJ TONNAGE SOUGHT.
If negotiations now under way with
neutral countries are concluded success
fully neutral tonnage will he used 10
slnplant American ships engaged IN the
non-hazardous trades. 1t IS regarded
as entirely likely that the entire one
S million troops of American ships engaged
will be put into tho transatlantic service,
leaving the ncutrals' ships to supply IN so
far as possible the gap made. The
general opinion is that about 80 per cent
+. OF the shortage will not bc supplied.
In addition TO Its efforts to Obtain
neutral tonnage the Government expects
soon to take over all American sailing
ships and large number of French sailing
ships. all of which will be put in the nom
hazardous class. This move Will add
some tonnage to that available for bring
ing IN imports.
n cut 10 imports is made the Govern
rnent will select for elimination a list
az articles which it regards rs not essential
10 the pr,secution Of the war. Imports
Of certain materials, including nitrates
and manganese, must tie kept up 10 a
maximum The country Will need this
wear shout 81 SOC, ,00J tons OF nitrate from
Chile end fully 10000 tons of manganese
from Brazil
ASSISTANCE FROM ALLIES
Officials who are working out details
of the transportation Of troops have not
disclosed 20 what extent the Allies are
readv to sssi,; with loan of tonnage
but MANY American soldiers viii 60
abroad IN allied vessels. This was
arranged for in the inter..lli q conference
at Paris and was announced on the return
TO the United States Of Col. Edward NJ.
House.
Supplies for the Allies and for the
American army abroad still are piling up
fsster than they can be transported. and
II is estimated that more than n million
tons Of cargo are aw;i I'M shipment along
the Atlantic seabOard. Even had IKE
country's production Of materials come up
10 expectations snd had the railroads
been able 10 transport it no more goods
officials say, could have been transported
srross the seas.
The shipping Board, realizing tht
situation. is redOut ling its efforts 10 speed
up the building Of ships With the
assistance OF the Labor Department the
board Is creating a reserve of shipyard
labor. which they expect TO place in the
wards as fast as il can be absorbed.