Evening journal., 1918-05-16
Uncle Harry Tells AbOut
Americas InexhaustibIe Man-POwer

How many soldiers has our country
sent to France. and how many win we
have TO send?" asked Jimmy.
There are not more than han a doz-
en- men I'm the country, Including Pres
idcnt Wilson and Secretary Of War
Baker, who could answer the nfsl part
Of your question" said Uncle Harry
and there is no one who could snswcr
the second part Of your question"
Well Isn't this the big question Of
The day--isnt this what people mean
when they talk about our 'man-power'
and how big It will have to be to win
the war?' asked Helen
This Is the vital problem" said
Uncle Harry. and I'm glad you brought
t Hp for discussion. ] can't tell you
hoy many Of our troops are in France
because our government has been very
careful to guard that fact II this in
formation became known - the enemy
% would be very valuable 10 them. But
there is much that can be said about
Americas man-power and il Is a sub
iect about which we should all be thor
oughly informed"
"Our army is going 90 be increased
in size, isn't it2" asked Joe.
"lt is, and 70 will be made bigger
and bigger as the months go on, said
Uncle Harry. "There is only one man
who can stop IL, and that Is the Ger
man Kaiser, and he can't stop 70 by
force, but only by saying he has had
enough and is willing TO make peace
on democratic terms For President
Wilson and Secretary Baker and the
Congressman and the War Department
officials are making plans not only TO
call hundreds Of thousands Of men TO
The colors during the coming summer
and fall, but for an indefinite period
month in and month out. for as long a
period as the war continues and General
Foch, the commanding general Of all
The Allied armies, and General pershinc,
say they need more men,"
we have already raised the biggest
army In the history OF our country
haven't WEI" asked Helen
I'VE have and We're going 20 break
more records and in breaking the rec
ords we're going TO break the German
line" answered Uncle Harry. when
our country entered the war, one year
ago on April 3 our army consisted OF
sbout $4,000 men. Today that is, in a
little more than one year, we have
raised and trained an army Of close "a
10000 men Every month thousands
OF our men are reaching France, trained
and ready 20 face the enemy. Thou.
sands more are being drafted each
month and sent TO the canlonmenis anC
training camps throughout the coun
Try"
How big force are we aiming for?'
asked Jimmy.
THAT has not been definitely decided,
said Uncle Harry. Although 70 is quit
likely that by this time next year.
the war continues that Ions. the unitei
States viii have an army of 100000
men. And these soldiers will be so wei
trained and transportation facilities vii
be so perfected that we can pour a con
slant stream OF men into France"
II guess the German government di
not believe we could raise such a bl
army. did ihcy?" said Helen.
mo, ! don't think they did" sail
Uncle Harry. you remember the,
even laughed at the little British arm
at the beginning az the war. They re-
ferred 60 30 as the 'contemptible liiu
British army but when Great Brtaf
recruited trained and put into the igh
some 100000 or 6lO00000 men German
realized that she had made a big mis-
take And she is realizing the sam
thing about our American army. An
the size OF our army already in France
and the way it is growing each month
is even more surprising 90 Germany
because she did not believe we coul
transport big army across the Al
lsntic Ocean even II we could raise %.
Wei. Uncle Harry. Is 100000 a
big as our American army can b
made?" asked joe
"There is no limit 20 American man
power, or the size OF an army we ca
raise" answered Uncle Harry. wit
our more than 100000 population "
have q practically inexhaustible suppl
OF men. Hundreds OF thousands q
Young men reach military age each yea
and in addition there are millions q