The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-04-06
VAST RESOURCES OF
NATION JUST COMING
into STRUGGLE
Continued From Page I5.)

| States is well on the way to place
| second only to Great Britain as
naval force, and that in destroyers
alone-most proved and deadly
weapon of the submarine,-then 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 repairing the seized
German and Austrian ships damaged
by their crews at the orders of the
German government.
The case of the great lines Water
land. now the United States ship
Leviathan. 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 Vaterland's
commander remarked he would take
his hat of to the Americans 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 Vaterland
was in running order and since. the
navy has announced. has carried
numbers of American troops and
great quantities Of supplies to the
fighting lines in France.
BY taking the ships and men Of the
coast guard into its fleets, by 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.
Conveying Troops.
In its immense task OF conveying
troops there have been some losses,
notably the Tuscania and the
Antilles. but the losses of life have
been fortunately small in comparison |
with the numbers of troops trans
ported. At the same time the Am
erican 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 re-
mains a military secret.
The treasury concerned with l
financing the war. has raised from /
Liberty bonds and War Savings /
stamp sales more than $4,000, 600, 900, |
and on this the first anniversary Of 1
the declaration Of war on Germany,
is launching the third Liberty Loan. /
Treasury estimates put the expense
Of the first year Of the war at about /
$12 900 000.0 900 exclusive Of the /
advances to the allies.
These advances to all the allies
have totaled. up to the close of March
S4, $50, SOC, 900. The United States has
been secured with the bonds or
of the countries to which
the money was advanced. More than
1925, 100000 of the sum went to Rus
STA. before the debacle put the coun-
try out of the war. What return the
United States will get, if any, is con-
5idered doubtful.
shipbuiIdina Progress.
Chairman Hurley of the shipping
board, in a recent speech in Ne@
York at which he outlined the ship
program fully for the first
time. declared the great building pro-
vram which is to make the bridge of
ships to France is rs per cent toward
He pointed out the
of the task by recalling
that the shipping board is building in
a year, a greater organization than
the steel corporation has been able
10 build up in more than twenty
years. The recent disclosure by the
British admiralty that German sub
marines actually are destroying the
worlds shipping twice as fast as it is
being built is the spur which is ex-
pected to put the full force of the
country at this vital task.
Beside the work OF the executive
Of the government, the
year has seen tremendous strides in
the mobilization Of labor. industry,
science and invention with the sole
aim OF winning the war Hundreds
OF business and professional men
have given up private interests to
serve the government at nominal
pay. Business and manufacture has
given the best of its secrets. What
ever criticism has been made Of the
lack or coordination Of all these
tremendous resources and power,
none ever has charged that private
interest has withheld them.
What Is expected to be one OF the
mightiest weapons toward winning
The war Is the war trade board. Great
"a for the purpose of cutting off sup
plies 70 Germany through the
neutrals. AS the war goes
on, officials say. the work of this
cannot be underestimate
"A year Of war. all officials concede,
finds shortcomings and defects, but IL
Isl commended no more than might
nave been expected from a peaceful
nation suddenly reorgani2ed to a war
basis.
President Wilson in a recent
pronounced the present
year the vital one In the winning of .
me war. AS the resources OF Am
srica now being gathered. get to the
battle fronts with q mighty rush.
hey are fully expected To carry the