The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-07-11
AMERICAN PUSH TELLS
"PRONTO" MOTTO IN PER.
FORMANCE OF WAR
WORK ABROAD.
Hustle In Building OF Bases, Piers,
Railroads, Shops and Canton
ments Astounds Allies and Makes
Good Boasted u. S. Energy.


the past six months.
Tales of how Americans buil'
giant skyscrapers over night, OF hov
within few months they tunne
miles of underground railways, o
automobile factories that produce
finished machine every three min
utes and OF huge pipe lines tha
carry oil hundreds OF miles to sea
ports have given to Americans the
name of boasterS. But the word Is
fast being forgotten in connection
with the men from the Unntcd
States. SO we'll indeed have the
skilled men OF the army combatcd
obstacles of construction on French
soil that today no story OF forth
coming achievements awaken
doubt among the people who have
seen the works OF Pershing's men.
Much has been written OF the
many miles of docks which now are
controlled by the American army
in French ports, British engineers
have been loud in their praise OF
the three forked railroad line, equip
ped with American motive power,
which has been stretched from the
sea coast almost to the battle front.
Much Yet Untold.
But aside from few vague fig
ures little has yet been told in
America concerning the American
ordnance material repair and main
tenance work in France, the great
IS. O. s. or service of support
as it is officially known "over there,
an institution which now is ad-
ministered by probably more than
$50 officers and 10000 enlisted work
men and which may find need OF
double that force if plans now under
consideration by the general staff
are adopted.
1t has been no easy task for the
ordnance department to anticipate
the needs OF the American expedi-
tionary forces But thanks to the |
early policy OF stationing allied ad- |
visers in this country the work has |
gone forward with less delay and !
fewer reviSions than are found in
some OF the war preparations OF
the nation
4 few years ago the captain OF
industry who announced that he
contemplated the construction OF
SIS 100000 plant in foreign coun-
try was hailed as an empire builder.
Yet only few months ago this
sum made available for the war de
partment to eNpend in the construc-
tion of an ordnance base in France
received a notice OF only fe, lines
in the daily press And it is safe
to assume that if France and Eng
land had been unable to supply the ;
iron and steel necessary for many
OF the engines OF destruction which I
Americans will man abroad, the men
OF America would not have hesitat-
ed to eNpcnd billions instead of
millions in Franch war mills. i
Mills Were Ready. ,
But, happily for America, the '
French and British mills were ready 5
to produce the cannon which Ame I
rica needs. True, it was necessary /
for this country to manufacture and i
transport the limbcrS and caissons, y
but vehicle builders of this country v
were ready for that problem, and il
today, with American participation a
tha al ~ |
months, the factories Of the United t
States are meeting the caisson and v
timber needs of the artillery. o
1t may be said that one plant t
alone is producing nearly 200 linn r
berS and caissons every day. Nor y
is this output too great for the "
supply OF ) and 5-inch artillery ST
cannon which are stored abroad d
awaiting limbers. {
Great has been the progress OF the Il
allies in the production OF muni- Il
tions, they have been forced. /
through lack OF man power and
to forego the develop
ment OF repair shops. The wastage
in the first and second years OF the b
war was enormous. Now, however, l
little equipment is scrapped, unless a
he scrapping is accomplished by p
huge German projectile that &C +;
almost destruction. d
You will needs repair shops and II
.torage rooms and magazines" said y
he allied agents to the American a.
lrmy officers. la
Can We remodel some French c.
actories!" :" the Americans asked. Il
There are few available along the al
ines OF your communications was al
he answer. pI
Very good" replied the Ameri- b
ans. we think We know the type 1t
II factory in which an American St
works best. Plenty OF light and e
.lenty OF good fresh air. and no !
~kward pillars to get in ones way Ia
. our present style. Wen have m
ONE material on the ground tr
ronto. W
"Pronto" was the motto, and it
erved well; for recently when W
ecretay Baker, although appraised
Y figures of the progress abroad,
Isited the American shops, he said
Il must confess that ! am amazed ur
the hugeness OF the work We are a