Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-05
FIRST YEAR OF WAR POINTS
WAY TO ULTIMATE VICTORY
Remarkable Achievements of Army, Navy and
Other Departments of Government
Heartening to American People

With no previous experience to guide
him. General Crowdcr evolved gen.
eral plan which experts say is the sim
plest in the world. hut which places at
the disposal Of the nation lO,O""O 200
men qualified for military service inc
questionnaire plan, which listed an OF
these eligibles by occupation, makes II
possible for the Provost Marshal Cen
eral to call into the service on twenty
four hours notice any desired number
Of men trained In any special line or
Industry which the needs Of the army
may require at that particular moment
The National Army now passing over
seas to It's destiny. Is the work OF tnis
American officer In other countries nc
would be rewarded with patents OF no
bility purses OF gold and major decora b
tions But here I'm America his work IS
accepted as all in the days work. ana
his reward simply knowledge OF duty
well performed
More 70 Praise Than to Criticize
|. In the actual war conduct there BE-
much that can he praised far more
than can be criticized. In this every
department Of the Government has co
operated The story Of the activities nt
the War and Navy Departments ha'
been unrulled each day before the rieR
Of the people. Excepting where miltar'
necessity has prevented, the achieve
meute of tho men who have worked
under the direction Of Newton n. Baker
and Josephus Daniels have been pass"d
on to the people at large. Aud it i' q
record ~ which all may be proud.
But there arc other departments Of
government which also have done much
and without whose active support and
cooperation disaster might have b"eu
encountered.
financial Triumphs
Take the work Of Secretary Of the
Treasury William q. McAdoo and his
assistants. Not content with financing
the war and floating bond issues. he has
made the national railroad systems a
real adjunct Of the Government" The
story of the difficulties overcome iu this
connection would nll pages Of newspaper
space But ther. Is no need Of this.
They have been overcome and today the
railroads are working harder than ever
before in their history.
Another side line" which Secretary
McAdoo has under his direction is the
insurance Of the armed forces. More
than thirteen billion Of dollars worth
OF insurance now Is in force in this de
partnent
Feeding our Army
The country and IT, defenders not
only had TO be fed but Uncle sam
was compelled to assume IN" task of
feeding great part Of the world.
There has been some decided differ
cnce Of opinion as 10 the work which
Herbert {. Hoover food administrator,
has done Because Of the great difficulty
of his task he has made bitter enemies
and many, very many enthusiastic sup
pUrtors But there has been no fault
found with the work Of Secretary Of
Agriculture David Franklin Houston. his
chief assistant, Carl Nrooman, and their
aids. Their task has been to bring pro-
duction W TO the topmost notch and
they arc accomplishing IL without any
unusual blare Of trumpets. Under their
leadership the farmers Of the nation will
cultivate in the second year Of Amer
ica's participation in the world war
every bit Of ground for which they can
get the labor
Secretary Of Labor William 3. Will
son has assumed personal charge Of the
task Of supplying the many thousands
Of farm workers who win b" needed
to carry to fruitiou the elaborate plans
Of the Department Of Agriculture.