The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-01-31

only about per cent was exported,
mostly to Canada. Yet, within the last
week England sent coal to us, in order
that supply ships might not be stopped.
III
Out of the fire of congressional in
vestigatlOn the marine corps has come
with added luSter the contrast to war
department conditions being sadly
marked. The house committee said the
corps has been kept supplied on war
basis with no apparent delays, while
about $4,000 recruits during the year
have been properly housed, clothed,
fed and trained. The secret of this
lies In the fact that Maj. Gen. George
Barnett, c0mmandant of the corps, be-
lieved in preparedness. Two months
before America entered the war he or
dered $4,000 pairs of shoes and 10000
Lewis machine guns. His purchasing
system has worked smoothly and eff
ficiently, possibly because he has had
the assistance of no "dOllar-a-week"
civilians, whose capabilities and knowl-
edge are not commensurate with their
patriotism. The bureaus of construc-
tlOn and repair and of engineering of
the navy department also received high
praise from the committee.
"a
Secretary Baker and his manage
nient of the war department are still
the objects Of sharp attack and the de-
mnnds for his resignation or removal
increase daily His long defense be-
fore the senate committee was the re-
verse of satisfactory, and there Is de-
cidcd diversity of opinion as to wheth-
er or not his reorganization of bureaus
will cure the evils that have infested
his department. Daniel Willard told
the committee the new plan was faulty
In that II did not concentrate control
and relied too much on voluntary eff
fort, and Immediately thereafter Mr..
Willard resigned his post Of chairman
Of the war industries board. 1t was in
timated new chairman might not be
appointed pending action on the pro-
pOsalS for the creation of war supply
department or administration.
Can ii be that Mr.. Baker, deep in
his pacifist SOUL believes the war will
come to an end before the American
troops are called on to fight, and there
fore Is willing that adequate prepara-
tlons for their active participation in
the conflict shall be delayed? In his
review Of operations in Europe he says
n great German offensive Is to be ex-
pected on the west front, but he Is con-
fideDt that the war-worn British and
French armies can withstand 1t.
-@-
Fierce controversy ragged throughout
The week between the German groups
represented respectively by Won Ludcn-
dorff and Won Kuehlmann-the pan
Germans and the nonannexatiOnists.
There was a report that the govern
ment had compromised the dispute by
yielding TO Won Kuehlmann as to the
east front, and assuring Won Luden-
dorif that he might grab any land on
the west front that the military forces
of the empire could seize and hold
through the peace negotiations. But
this report was uncOnlirmed.
Berlin stated officially on Thursday
that the central powers had found the
Russian proposals Unacceptable, and
that German and Austrian troops
would not be withdrawn from the Oc-
cupied territories while the war lasts.
The Austro-Germans, the statement
added, do not intend incorporating
into their respective countries the ter
ritorles now occupied by them.
Trotzky clung to his demands for the
right Of self-determlnation for all ma
tionalities, and that principle, supported
by Lloyd-George and President Wilson,
has taken its place as almost the lead
ing peace term of the opponents of the
central powers. The German General
Hoffman taunts the bolshevikl with tire
fact that they are inconsistent because
they are fighting the Ukrainians, but
on the other hand Lenine, Trotzky and
their fellows have permitted the set
ting up oc Independent governments in
various parts of Russia because the
people so willed 1t, They have Just
declared, also, that their government
supports the right of the Armenlans
in Russia and Turkey to be independ-
ent and to decide their own destiny.
The British government has so far rec
ognized the bolsheviki as to establish
official relations with their minister in
London.
Turkestan announced its independ-
ence on Tuesday.
Petrograd announced that after ten
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