The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-11-21
Great Accomplishment Of
United States in Men, Mon
ey and Material Shown BY
Statistics.
MADE VICTORY CERTAIN
(By Associated l'ress)

declared Is shown by statistics which
i The Associated Press Is now permit
ted to make public. While the stupen-
',dous figures, to tell the story, are in
themselves amazing, it should be re-
membered that they show only part
Of the great effort made in war prepa-
rations in men, money and material.
On the morning of Nov II. the
United States had in France 1881
officers and 1,S1-,376 men. a total of
almost 100000. AS has already been
announced, there were 100000 combat
troops in the Argonne action. This
number does not include the American
units engaged on other parts of the
front
Man power alone, however, was but
one factor In the preparations for
American participation in the war.
Behind II lay vast machinery which
was required in operations. Railway
and motor roads were constructed and
across these were brought lOcomo-
tives, cars. rails and motor transport
cf every kind
Railroad Service.
Behind this again was the requisite
food, clothing and general supplies
for the men,. as well as dockage and
warehouse construction. Every effort
of civil life, plus the requirements of
war. was exerted.
The American army has brought
over to France and has in operation
967 standard gauge locomotives and
1914 standard gauge freight cars of
American manufacture. In addition 1t
has In service $50 locomotives and 973
cars Of foreign origin. To meet de-
mands which the existing French rail-
ways were unable to meet, S43 miles
of standard gauge railway were con-
structed. Five hundred miles of this
have been built since June 1. On top
of this. the department Of light rail-
ways reports the construction Of 115
miles of road and 140 miles of German
light railway were repaired and put In
operation. Two hundred and twenty
five miles of French railway were op-
Grated by the Americans.
These figures represent fairly good
sized railway company, but railways
represent only a fraction of the trans
port effort. Modern warfare is motor
warfare and it is virtually impossible
to present In figures this phase of
the work Of the American army. In
building new roads as the exigencies
VI Ddttic OPCidtlcAS iCquii Gu, III hCCP
ing French roads repaired under the
ceaseless tide of war transport and
In constructing bridges in devastated
battle regions, American engineers
worked day and night The whole
region behind the American lines Is
full of typical American road machin-
cry. much of it character never be-
fore seen in Europe. To do this work.
the American expeditionary forces had
In operation on November II, more
than $4,000 motor vehicles of all de
scription
Munitions Held Ready.
Even at the present stage of the
armistice. which may precede peace,
It Is not permissible to hint at the
vast stores of munitions and arma-
ment brought over and held in readi-
ness. The Associated Press, however.
Is allowed TO give approximate figures
showing what has been accomplished
In the accumulation of food supplies
II will be seen that the American ex-
peditionary forces were in no danger
of being placed on short rations, had
the war continued, although the Amer
leans had promised the allies vast
quantities of food, in addition to their
own needs.
In army terms. one ration repre-
sents the quantity OF each article each
man is entitled daily. 1t is interesting
TO note the supply of some of the
principal ration components on hand
today. For instance, the Americans
have 390,000,0O rations Of beans alone.
1S3,0 900 rations of -four and -four
substitutes: 267.O00.O00 rations of
milk: 100000 rations of butter or
substitutes: 143.000,00O rations of gu
gar; S9,OOO.000 rations of meat; $1,000
600 rations of coffee, and 100000
rations of rice, hominy and other food
stuffs. There are requisites such as
favorings, fruits. candy and potatoes
in proportion, while for smokers there
are 76l,000,000 rations of cigarettes
and tobacco in other forms
Army authorities point out that
these vast necessary supplies for the
army represent food economies on the
part of the people at home. Without
such economies, the work would have
been virtually impossible, nor would
the Americans have been able to
promise certain of the allies great
assistance in meeting their require |
ments during the winter. The Asso-
ciated Press is informed that the |
American army has engaged to give |
vna French two million pounds of
meat. 5.50O.O00 pounds of beans and |
rice flourand milk in proportion.
To the British 100000 pounds Of
wheat was promised. while the Bel |
gians were assured that they would |
receive 100000 pounds Of rations Of
all kinds.
y Increased Dockase Facilities.
It IS difficult to describe In exact |
figures what the American expedition |
ary forces have done in the construc !
tion and Improvement of dockage and |
warehouses since the first troops 7
landed This work has been proper
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