Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-09-12

July. 1910. This epitoinizes the preuic'eo si'"'"
in the service in coming year.
From a vast armada of l.N~ ships Oh III INV.
in July. 1910, to the worlds greatest merchant
marine for all time to come. ms epltohi'@e' ny
devout hope of every man In the transpof'''''n
service. .
The naval overseas transportation service -
an outgrowth of the recruiting for class NO. .
the naval reserve. 1t developed carry " :"
autumn of last year when the urgent h'eu N
military supplies impressed the navy department
With the necessity of giving separate ehu's "
| the operation of cargo ships. lhere no" "e
| 700 officers and II 1000 men in this branch Oh tue
nayy's service. elm
A commander of the navy is supervisor Oh ~
ont,re naval overseas transportation service WIN
haodouarters at Washington. The Ne" 1"N
| division is under the supervision Of a naval heu-
tenant. ,or
The great conflict raging in Europe has beeh
described MS a war of transportation IL Is gu
eral,y conceded that the war cannot be won WIN
out the American army. But the American army
AZ home is more than 1900 miles from the 1ront'
The problem of winning the war resolves i'sen'
therefore, into one of transportation, 10 reheuS
tho weak points in this means OF communicate"
tho navy overseas transportation service was es-
,shlished. Thus far from a small beginning IL
has overcome what for a while appeared y os
,nsurmountable obstacles, and 1t is dong Il WORK
+bot far importance and efficiency Is second 10
none In the army or navy.
For every man that the United States senos
to the front about four lightweight tons OF sup,
ping must be set aside to maintain nm. 10 senu
him across without thus providing for MS eA's'
teuce would be nothing short OF a crime. IL Is
the duty of the navy overseas transportation se''
ice 70 see that there Is an incessant now OF SUP
niles to that man. Any interruption through lack
NJ shining or men to man ships woulo DC ols'
a~strous. ...
Resides supplying the troops at the 'front.' 1t IS
the duty of the transportation service 10 1eteh
necessities to the United States from other co"l'
tries. Navy vessels are used to BRING hemp' NJ
trotes manganese and chrome. Coal Is trans
ported to important manufacturing points /" Nc"
! England to relieve railroad congestion
Americon destroyers running about at high
snend in European waters are in constant need
NJ fue, oil. which must be supplied by the trans
portation service from the oil fields or the uh'eu
Stntes or Mexico. All other sources OF supply are
controlled by Germany.
} Already the United States has in Europe more
than 100000 men. BY the end of next year
there probably will be 100000 men on the othei
= side. This. reckoning four lightweight tons ior eacl
nun. will mean that America will have to provide
1oNOOOO tons Of shipping to supply these men
I" Charles NJ. Schwab. director Of the shippin!
:. board, has said that he is going to build lo,ooo,oU
. dendweight tons Of ships in the coming year
The aim of the transportation service Is 10 d
- reody TO man and operate all or any of the new
ships, II the service can have the necessary az
vince notice as to personnel requirements ther'
i, need be no hitch from this standpoint IN IN
~ number Of troops sent over. They will be ampi
: provided for after they arrive and they will b
brought back home ut the close Of the war.
The question Of manning this enormous ARA
6 NJ sb,ns seems TO be about solved by Edward 4
Hurley. chairman Of the shipping board. who
reported TO have requested the secretary OF tn
=. navy to begin Mt once the training Of 1000 OH
GERS and 100000 men to man the merchant mt
re- rine. , ,.
In II thus appears MS II the navy may be asked
40 man not only the war-zonc ships, but those plyin
os among American senports and to North an
Dy South American ports. Naval officers would NJ
" he surprised II It should mean eventually tn
Il manning by the navy Of coal barges and toy
II boats.
or About 100 companies owned the American me
chant marine at the time the United states e.
n. tered the war. Enormous profits were made
nv the TRANSFORMATION of essentials by water. Ar
nd old tub TINT would float was worth almost h
lie. weight IN gold. Many abandoned ships were r
Id nnired md nut into service. Some were raise
nj from the ocean, where they Ind lain for year
el and were rebuilt. Coastwlse steamships we
nix mt into ocean service. SchOoners and oF.sho
lch hnrrcs took the place Of the constwise vessels.
Amcrica had at the beginning of the war ub0
8.OOOOOO deadweight tons Of shipping. only
per cent Of this was available Tor ocean trav
In addition tO any submarine losses Airlerl
lch may suffer she MN have to- provide perhaps !
cnnOOO tons to supply the troops oversPns al